


My Liege, My Love

by draca (wyvernwolf)



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-07-16 10:11:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 22,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7263769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyvernwolf/pseuds/draca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Royal Prince meets commoner, they fall in love and live happily ever after. A fairytale come true. But it's never that simple. </p><p>When Prince Harry met Eggsy Unwin, he was instantly captivated and wholly unprepared for all the changes this young man would bring to his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr and inspired by this beautiful [gifset ](http://moopyloopy.tumblr.com/post/145745474779/harryeggsy-but-well-meet-again).

Their first meeting had been memorable. Harry had been guest of honour at a promotional tour for the upcoming X-Games. He was being shown around the new parkour training facilities when to the shock and horror of all present someone had literally dropped out of the sky right onto him. His Kingsman guards had immediately wrestled the young man off Harry but not before he’d managed a cheerful “Sorry, bruv,” and thrown Harry a cheeky wink as he’d been hustled away.

After assuring the officials and his guards that he was alright, just a bit winded, Harry had spent the rest of the tour thinking about the incident and wondering about the young man with the lively green eyes and beautiful smile.

Merlin, his Head of Security and general pain in Harry’s arse, had told him later that the young man was one Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin, an extremely talented parkour athlete, who many expected to win gold in the games. He’d also recently been accepted as a Royal Marines recruit.

Weeks passed but Harry hadn’t been able to forget the young man who had knocked the breath out of him, literally and figuratively. The file Merlin had supplied became worn with how many times Harry had leafed through it; the photo showing a solemn faced young man with dirty brown hair, the green eyes that Harry remembered so well staring steadily out, even more so.

Merlin watched it all torn between being amused and horrified at the amount of pining his friend was doing. He’d known Harry since they were in short pants, become his best friend after their first punishment for shaving off the manes of all the horses in the Hart stables and gone through the marines together. They’d left the marines not far apart, Harry to start fulfilling his role as Heir to the Throne and Merlin as his Head of Security. He’d been there as Harry changed from a mischievous young man, ready to give anything a try, into a sombre adult whose life had been ruled by the one absolute truth that his future was not his to choose. It was only recently that Merlin had seen a glimmer of the old Harry appearing and if it was this Unwin lad that was putting it there, then Merlin knew what he had to do. But before he let them meet, he’d put the fear of God and Merlin into the lad. Unfortunately, as much as he hated it, Harry’s happiness came second to his safety.


	2. Chapter 2

Eggsy had been relaxing in front of his telly after his morning training when the news has come on. He’d been about to change the channel when he saw a picture of the very good looking, very fit man he’d accidentally fallen on appear on screen. He listened in mounting horror, remote hanging forgotten in his hand, as the newsreader detailed in their monthly review how Prince Harry Hart, nephew to the Queen and Royal Heir to the throne, had been involved in a minor accident whilst at the pre-X Games presentation but hadn’t been injured, just surprised. No mention was made of Eggsy which relieved him to no end.

“Fuck me. I fucking fell on the future King of England. Fucking hell. I fucking called him ‘bruv’. Holy shit. I bloody winked at him. Oh Christ! Eggsy Unwin you are an idiot who can’t recognise their own monarch to be.”

“Don’t worry. You’re not the first person to not recognise him. For some reason, people always think he looks different in person.”

Eggsy whipped around so fast he fell off his chair. “Who the fuck are you?” Eggsy scrambled to his feet.

A young lady, long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and dressed in a very smart tweed suit was standing in front of him. “Are you alright, Eggsy?” She asked, frowning in concern.

“How’d you know my name? Oh, fuck. You’re one of them Kingsman! You here to kill me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Eggsy. If I was here to kill you, you’d be dead already,” she said as she gracefully lowered herself onto Eggsy’s sofa. “My name is Lancelot. I’m here to take you to a meeting.”

Eggsy stared at her. “And am I going to get killed there?”

Lancelot huffed in exasperation. “No one’s going to kill anyone, Eggsy. Unless…” She narrowed her eyes at Eggsy and he had to fight the urge to step back because she was one scary woman. “You’re not going to kill anyone if I take you to this meeting, are you?”

“What! No! ‘M not killing anyone! Why would I want to do that? I don’t even know who I’m meeting!” Eggsy spluttered out.

“Then we’re all good then, aren’t we,” Lancelot said, a smile back on her face. And fuck, if she wasn’t beautiful when she smiled. It made Eggsy want to trust her, against his better judgement.

“I think maybe you should change your shirt. And do you have a cleaner pair of jeans?” She asked, eyeing him from head to toe. “But definitely keep the shoes. They’ll give Arthur and Merlin conniptions.”

“Who’re Arthur and Merlin?” Eggsy didn’t even question the orders and went to his small bedroom to change. He pulled out his best pair of jeans, black and only slightly faded at the knees, and the green button down that was a present from his Mum. She’d claimed it brought out his eyes and something told Eggsy that he needed to look his best for whoever it was he was meeting.

“They‘re who I’m bringing you to meet.”

“Should I worried?” Eggsy turned off the telly and grabbed his wallet and keys before motioning Lancelot out the door. “How’d you get in anyway? Door’s still locked.”

Lancelot smirked at him. “A magician never reveals his tricks, Eggsy.”

“Thought Lancelot was just a knight and Merlin the magician.” Eggsy grinned when Lancelot looked at him in surprise. “I ain’t just a pretty face you know.”

Lancelot laughed this time. “Merlin was right. You _are_ perfect for him. I hope he keeps you,” she said as they walked out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time they reached their apparent destination, Lancelot had become Roxy and it felt like Eggsy had known her forever. He felt as comfortable with her as he did with Ryan and Jamal and he’d known them his entire life. He still didn’t fully trust her though. Especially when she refused to reveal anything further about this ‘meeting’ she was bringing him too and kept looking knowingly at him when he asked her about it.

“This it then?” He asked peering at the fairly normal looking terrace house. It looked pretty. Painted a creamy white with a few potted plants at the front door. His Mum would love it.

“Kingsman own all the houses in the mew. Makes things easier,” Roxy said as she reached over him to open the taxi’s door.

“Wot? Easier to get rid of the bodies?” Eggsy asked with a nervous laugh as he let her nudge him out. It was a respectable area and even though he’d technically been invited, he felt very out of place. It was nothing like the estates where he’d grown up.

“You are a bit obsessed with death and killing aren’t you?” Roxy’s laugh wasn’t at all reassuring. Nor was the smirk that came across her face when she gestured to the door. “I’ll leave you to it,” she said leaning back into the car and closing the door.

“You not coming with me?” Eggsy asked nervously. He was beginning to really regret his blind acceptance of the entire situation.

“You’ll be fine. Just remember, Merlin’s bark is worse than his bite.” With that cryptic, and rather terrifying, statement, she drove away leaving Eggsy to stare at the unassuming house and seriously question his life choices that led him to this point.

He was still going through the pros and cons of just legging it when the door opened and a man appeared, staring somewhat disapprovingly at him. He was tall, very bald, wearing glasses vaguely similar to Roxy’s and was holding a clipboard. Eggsy figured he’d just met another Kingsman. One that didn’t look as friendly as Roxy.

The rather judgemental stare made Eggsy want to check that his shirt wasn’t on inside out and his hair was combed but he resisted. “Aight, bruv,” he said instead and winced inwardly when Baldy’s eyebrows shot up.

“You’re late.” Baldy opened the door further and motioned Eggsy in. “Come along. I don’t have all day.”

Eggsy didn’t move. Following Roxy was one thing. Grumpy bald Scots guy was a completely different thing. “Who’re you, bruv?”

“My name is Merlin. And if you value your life, never call me bruv again. Now, stop wasting time and come in. We have a lot to go over before you can meet Arthur.”

“Who’s Arthur?”

Merlin gave him an exasperated glare but Eggsy refused to be cowered. “You’ll find out after we go through a few things. Now, come along.” This time he didn’t wait for Eggsy, just turned around and left, leaving the door open.

His mum had always claimed his curiosity would get him in trouble one day. It looked like today might be that day. Squaring his shoulders, Eggsy walked through the open door and entered the house. He didn’t look back.


	4. Chapter 4

“I never thought I’d see the day Harry Hart succumbed to a fit of nerves.” Merlin sounded entirely too amused for Harry’s liking.

“Shut up, Merlin,” he mumbled as he paced around the room for the umpteenth time before deciding that maybe a drink would help calm him. He got as far as the drinks cabinet before changing his mind and returned to the window to take another quick look outside.

“Oh for… settle down, man. Here.” Merlin shoved a glass into his hand and forcibly moved him away from the window and into a chair. “Sit down. Have a drink and calm down. It’s early yet.”

Harry accepted the drink and settled into the chair with bad grace. “What if something happened?”

Merlin looked at him in that annoyingly condescending manner he had that never failed to rub Harry the wrong way. “It’s a twenty minute drive. What on earth do you think could happen?”

Harry could think of any number of things that could have happened but didn’t mention them. Merlin already had enough fodder to mock him for weeks to come without adding to it.

There was an aggravated sigh and a few quick taps then Merlin was waving his clipboard in front of Harry’s face. A moving blinking dot on what looked like a map was all he saw before it was whipped away again. “There. They’re on their way. Satisfied?” Merlin returned to his own chair and continued starring at Harry who was beginning to feel like an insect under a microscope. “You should have a bit more confidence in your knights. Lancelot wouldn’t let anything happen to your boy. I made certain to warn her, in detail, how important it was that Unwin be brought here in one piece.” This last bit was said in a knowing tone which Harry found very objectionable.

“I’m glad you find this so amusing. Especially since it was your idea.” Harry looked down at his favourite suit and couldn’t help but wonder if he should have worn something a bit more relaxed. “Do you think I should change? I wouldn’t want to make him feel ill at ease.”

“You mean more ill at ease than he’ll already be feeling at being practically kidnapped for a secret meeting with persons unknown?” Merlin sighed as Harry uncharacteristically fidgeted with his cuffs. “You look fine, Your Highness. Very elegant, very suave. Unwin will be swept off his feet.”

“As if there’s any chance of that.” Was Harry’s rather bitter reply. “Who am I trying to delude, Merlin. This whole situation is a farce.” Harry subsided into what he told himself wasn’t a sulk as he glared at the tips of his highly shined brogues.

Silence fell only to be broken when Merlin cleared his throat. “I understand you have concerns, Harry. And this isn’t actually a normal situation but the alternative of strolling up to him at his local pub and getting to know him there will not be happening. Security would be next to impossible, not to mention the press would go insane.”

Harry snorted. “The press are the last thing I’m worried about right now. I’m more concerned that you’re allowing this. Don’t you find it all strange that I’m behaving like an infatuated teen over a near perfect stranger? I met him once for god’s sake and in the most questionable of circumstances. Not to mention he’s so young.”

Rather diplomatically, Merlin limited his response to only saying, “His file is interesting. It’s admirable how he’s managed to rise above his unfortunate circumstances.”

Harry waited. He could tell Merlin was dying to add something else. And he was right.

“He’s handsome too. Strong jaw, green eyes.” A sideways look and nudge on his leg from Merlin’s shoe. “Rather muscular. Not to mention flexible.”

Harry let out a defeated laugh. “You forgot young.”

“Whereas you’re so ancient,” Merlin said sarcastically then more seriously he added, “And I’m ‘going along with it’ as you call it, because I think he’ll be good for you.”

Harry looked up in surprise, unprepared for Merlin to sound so serious.

“You need something to remind you that not everything is about duty, Harry.”

“And you think that something is a boy from the estates?”

“I think that I haven’t seen you so interested in someone since we were in the marines. I think that even if this doesn’t go where you would like it to go, at least you gave it a try.” Merlin shrugged and smirked. “And it was better than watching you pine and brood all over the place. You were like a tall, rather ungainly thundercloud floating around the Palace. Even Her Majesty noticed.”

“I did no such thing,” Harry said primly rather offended at the description. “And she did not.”

“You did and she did. She asked Percival if something had happened to upset you. Honestly, Harry,” Merlin was laughing now. “I do wonder what the British public would say if I told them their beloved Prince Harry was so dramatic.”

“There’d never believe you.” Harry took another sip of his drink and leaned back in his chair, the familiar tones of Merlin’s mocking relaxing him.

Merlin’s laughter slowed and he hummed his agreement. “No. They wouldn’t would they. You’ve successfully pulled the wool over their eyes and managed to somehow convince them all that you’re this charming debonair gentleman prince. Which we all know is utter shite.” He grinned.

Despite his anxiety, Harry found himself returning the grin. “Yes, well, one must do what’s required of one, mustn’t one” he said in his most regal tone. “And do watch your language, dear chap. Delicate gentleman’s ears and all that.” Harry gave his oldest friend his best innocent look.

“Yes, one must, mustn’t he.” Merlin’s voice was as dry as dust. “The British public really are a gullible lot to be taken in by you, you devious bastard.”

Harry just smiled genially up at him, his apprehension momentarily forgotten. Listening to Merlin’s quiet laughter beside him, he was reminded again how grateful he was to have this man in his life, no matter how infuriating he could be at times.

He sat forward in his seat and it was a testament to how well they knew each other that Merlin immediately sensed the change in his mood. He straightened in his seat. “Your Highness?” He asked, the teasing expression slipped off his face to be replaced by a serious demeanour.

“Merlin… Alasdair, you have to know how grateful-” Harry began only for Merlin to interrupt him.

“Oh, no you don’t, Harry.” Merlin relaxed out of his alert state and leaned forward to lightly tap the side of Harry’s leg with his clipboard. “This is not the time for you to get maudlin, old man,” he warned. “Lancelot should be here soon with your boy and then we can get this show on the road.”

The moment broken, Harry acknowledged Merlin’s change of subject with what he considered a very expressive eye roll. “I do wish you’d stop referring to him as my boy, Merlin. It’s most disrespectful.”

“I see you’re not arguing that he isn’t your boy,” Merlin said with a sly grin on his face.

Harry gave Merlin a dirty look. “That’s enough disrespect out of you. You’re dismissed now so bugger off. Before I punch that smirk off your face,” Harry grumbled as he abandoned his glass and walked over to the window again.

“As you command, Your Highness.” Merlin stopped just before he stepped out the door. “You know it’ll turn out fine, Harry. You’ll be you and he’ll fall for it hook, line and sinker. You’re a charming bastard and you know it.”

With that final jab, he left Harry alone to brood.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as the door clicked shut, the smile dropped off Harry’s face and he let out a sigh. He returned to his armchair and dropped into it, sinking his hands into his hair and disarranging its neat lines. Without Merlin there to distract him, his misgivings returned in full force.

What was he _doing_.

Harry had seen active combat during his time in the marines. He’d been involved in firefights where innumerable bullets had been screaming past his head and he hadn’t known if he was going to live or die and he’d faced it all if not exactly fearlessly, at least without wanting to run and hide in a corner. The anticipation of meeting this young man made him want to do exactly that.

He leaned back in the armchair, letting his head fall back and thought back on that shock of recognition he’d felt when he’d locked gazes with Gary Unwin. That instant connection he’d felt had been unanticipated. The last time he’d felt something like that had been when he’d met Merlin and look where that had led them. 

It was that knowledge and the possibilities stemming from it that had him intrigued. He’d met Gary, Harry would never presume to call him his preferred Eggsy without an invitation, all too briefly, but, and he’d endured Merlin’s endless mocking when he’d accidentally admitted it to him, in that moment the young man had been luminous in his eyes.

The information Merlin had obtained and dropped on his desk a few days after had only served to increase his interest. Anyone who could achieve what he had after losing their father at such a young age and then having to grow up with an abusive step-father was to be admired. Harry really wanted to get to know the person who could go through all that and still smile bright as the sun.

He admitted to himself that he may be more invested than he’d first thought.

But the what-ifs wouldn’t stop plaguing him. What if Gary took one look at Harry and laughed himself sick that this middle-aged man, never mind that he was the Crown Prince of England, would dare to assume that he had a chance at capturing the interest of such a young and vital man.

Merlin might make light of it, but the prospect that the situation could go beyond their control were immense. Should they be mistaken about the boy’s character and he turned mercenary and tried to profit from his story. Well, more than just Harry’s pride would be damaged. His credibility as a responsible and viable leader of state would be in question. Not to mention the problems it would cause for his aunt, the Queen.

Harry had been made aware since a young age that he had to be above reproach; that when the time came for him to accept his role as monarch, his past, his entire character had to be unassailable. And he was proud to say he’d always been careful when it came to his romantic entanglements. Not that he’d been in any way celibate. There had been a respectable number of liaisons but all his previous partners had always been carefully chosen and screened. Meticulous planning and preparation with contingencies upon contingencies had accompanied his every entanglement and so this situation was bordering on insane. And that it was _Merlin_ who was encouraging him instead of advising more caution, well, Harry must have been in a worse condition than he’d realised.

So if it backfired. If both he and Merlin had somehow read Gary wrong…

Harry shuddered to think of the consequences.

The sound of a car pulling up broke him out of his thoughts. With his heart suddenly loud in his ears, he listened to the murmur of conversation between Gary and Lancelot. The car door slammed and Harry held his breath as he heard it drive away. There was no immediate knock which concerned him but it was only a few minutes before he heard Merlin’s familiar Scottish burr and what he assumed was Gary’s voice replying. Harry would forever deny that his heart skipped a beat at the sound.

The temptation to look out the window was overwhelming but he resisted. With slow and measured movements, Harry checked his watch and calmly stood. He had a bit of time yet. Merlin may have encouraged him in this endeavour but that didn’t mean he would neglect all his duties. Young Gary Unwin was in for quite an interview before he was even allowed in the same room as Harry. Ignoring his growing excitement, Harry cleared the used glasses and gave the room a careful check. Finding it satisfactory, he performed the same check over his person and adjusted his cuffs and tie so they sat perfectly before neatening his hair from where he’d run his hands through it.

He was ready.

As the door opened, Harry turned towards it and straightened his jacket one last time. It was time. He took a deep breath, to tamp down the curl of excitement in his stomach, and let it out slowly. He was a mature man, renowned for his poise and calm under pressure. He could do this.


	6. Chapter 6

Eggsy couldn’t do this.

As Merlin herded him down the hallway, Eggsy surreptitiously pinched himself. Yep, it hurt so this definitely wasn’t a dream.

After the most terrifying meeting of his life, and who knew a bald, specs wearing Scotsman could be so fucking intimidating, Eggsy’s brain was still trying to come to grips with what was happening. It didn’t seem believable that he, Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin, boy from the estates, was actually on the way to a meeting with the Crown Prince of England. He half expected Jamal, Ryan or some TV presenter to jump out at him, point to a hidden camera and tell him he was on some reality TV show and it was all a joke.

This was not what he thought he’d be doing when he got up this morning.

Catching up with his mum and sister? Definitely. Meeting Jamal and Ryan for a pint down the pub? Of fucking course. Getting kidnapped to meet an actual real live prince, the same one who he’d almost accidentally killed not too long ago? Not in a fucking million years.

If he was the type to have one, he’d be having a fucking panic attack right about now. As it was, he hoped his deodorant would hold up under his stress sweating.

And he really, really regretted not listening when his mum used to go on and on about Prince Harry. All he remembered was that she thought he was right fit, still single and that she and what seemed like every other woman, and even some men, found him absolutely swoon worthy.

Eggsy barely remembered meeting the man. He’d been running on gallons of sport drinks and adrenaline that whole day and when he’d had that fall, it had happened so fast and been so unexpected that the main thing that had stayed with him had been how beautiful those eyes had been. Eggsy really felt like a right idiot for not knowing just who he’d fallen on.

It was a short hallway and they had stopped in front of a solid looking door much faster than Eggsy wanted. He could feel himself sweating even more as Merlin turned towards him.

“Do you remember what we went over?” Merlin asked, eyes boring into him from behind his glasses.

“Er, yes?” Eggsy’s voice did not break when he answered. He was just thirsty. All the sweating he’d been doing was dehydrating. “Uhm, no sitting down, don’t swear, don’t call him by his name?” He recited tentatively.

His answer obviously didn’t meet Merlin’s expectations as his face did that judgemental frowny thing that Eggsy was really growing to hate. When he pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh heavy with disapproval, Eggsy had to clench his fists in his pockets to stop himself from punching the man. He was getting really sick and tired of being judged by someone who was essentially a complete stranger.

“This is not a joke, Unwin. Now listen carefully. The five main points to keep in mind; you will not lay hands on the royal person, you will address him as your highness, you do not sit before him and if he stands, you do too. You ask and wait for permission before you sit down and under no circumstances will you swear in front of him.” He paused and waited for Eggsy to nod his head before continuing. “He is a Prince of England and will be treated with the respect he deserves. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Not good enough, Unwin. Repeat what I just told you,” Merlin ordered to Eggsy’s annoyance.

Eggsy huffed angrily. “No touching, ask before doing anything, call him your highness, no swearing, treat him with respect,” he repeated, his tone practically daring Merlin to find fault.

The bastard just smirked at him and nodded. “Good, lad. Follow those rules and you’ll do fine. And Unwin?” Eggsy looked up at his name. “Do not fuck this up.”

“No, sir,” Eggsy said and hoped to hell he wasn’t proven a liar. He was pretty certain that Merlin would somehow find out and then either order one of his Kingsman to kill him or do it himself, probably without even breaking a sweat. Annoying as he was, for an old guy, Merlin was fucking fit and Eggsy did not want to cross him.

Merlin continued staring at him for a few long minutes and Eggsy could feel himself start to wilt under that glare until the familiar irritation at being judged and somehow found lacking reared its head. He’d dealt with Dean at his worse and Kingsman or not, Eggsy refused to be bullied again. Digging deep, he firmed his jaw, stood up straight and looked Merlin defiantly in the eyes, refusing to be cowed by the older man.

That must have been what Merlin was waiting for because he nodded, what looked like a glint of approval in his eyes.

“You’ll do, lad. Now knock and wait for permission before entering.”

Eggsy nodded his understanding but didn’t move.

“Well, lad?” An eyebrow went up in inquiry.

Eggsy coughed and shook out his hand, trying to relax his tense muscles. “Gimme a minute, guv.”

With Merlin a looming presence behind him, Eggsy turned to the door and stared at it for a bit. He nervously swiped his sweaty hands on his jeans a few times, squared his shoulders and reached forward to knock. Now the moment was here, his bravado from earlier disappeared and his earlier private freak out continued like it had never stopped.

He was so, so fucked.


	7. Chapter 7

Roxy drove the Kingsman cab back to Saville Row almost on automatic, she’d done it so many times before. She waited until she’d pulled in front of the Kingsman Tailors shopfront and parked before she tapped her glasses and hoped she’d correctly estimated the amount of time Merlin would need to grill Eggsy.

It was only a few second wait before Merlin’s response and Roxy silently congratulated herself on her good timing.

“Yes, Lancelot?”

“Merlin,” she greeted. “How did it go?”

Roxy heard what she thought was a sigh before Merlin replied, “What were your impressions of young Mr Unwin?”

Roxy recognised a deflection when she heard it. If it had been anyone but Merlin, she would have called him out on it but prior experience had taught her that pushing the senior Kingsman was a pointless practice so she let it go and instead pondered his question. “He’s definitely more intelligent than I expected, given his background.” She paused for a minute, trying to find the correct words. “He’s sharp and very shrewd but he hides it behind an I’m-just-a-boy-from-the-estates act. He’s used to being underestimated. I think he likes it that way,” she added slowly.  
“Oh? So he has less expectations to live up to?” For some reason Merlin’s conclusion rather offended Roxy. She just gave a short hum in response, unwilling to give either an affirmative or negative answer. 

Her former trainer immediately picked up on her non-answer. “You don’t think so.”

“I’m unsure,” she admitted. “He’s friendly and he talked a lot once he got comfortable with me but I noticed he was very careful with what he said. There was nothing personal, no details about himself or his family, just generalities. I couldn’t read him very easily, Merlin. He’s definitely not what I expected.”

The sound of typing could be heard and Roxy knew that Merlin was adding her observations to his report. “Anything else, Lancelot?” he asked next.  
“He’s a bit too trusting. He didn’t know me but he followed me anyway.”

A few minutes silence greeted her answer before Merlin asked, “Because he didn’t feel intimidated by your gender?”

Her reply was almost instant. “No. Definitely not. I don’t think he even took that into consideration. When I think back on it, he didn’t make a single comment of that nature the whole time. Yes, he flirted a bit but there was nothing more, none of the usual insinuations or posturing men can get around women. Nothing. It was quite refreshing.” She paused. “I like him, Merlin. He’s honest, a bit rough round the edges but not ashamed of it.” She couldn’t help but add, “It helps that he’s remarkably good looking.”

She waited for Merlin’s response but there was only silence on the line. 

“Well?” she prompted.

“Well what?”

Roxy rolled her eyes. She hated when Merlin was being purposely obtuse.

“What did you think about Eggsy?” she repeated.

The silence went on so long this time that she actually considered checking that they were still connected when Merlin stared laughing. “I think that His Royal Highness is going to have his hands full.”


	8. Chapter 8

The door opened, Gary Unwin walked into the room and for the first time in a very long time, Harry Hart completely forgot all sense of propriety and simply stared.

The pictures Merlin had on file hadn’t done the young man justice. They hadn’t caught the leashed power in the compact gymnast’s body, the obstinate set to his magnificent jaw, nor the gorgeous green of the beautiful eyes that had caught Harry’s attention the first time.

He was dressed in a very flattering pair of jeans and a green shirt that brought out the lovely colour of his eyes but there was no impudent grin and cheeky wink this time but a jaw clenched so tight Harry that could see the muscles twitching. When he noticed how pale the other man was and how he refused to look at Harry directly, keeping his eyes turned down that Harry realised he was being unbearably rude to his guest.

Shaking himself out of reverie, Harry quickly moved closer and wanting to put the young man at ease, smiled gently and started to extend his hand in greeting but then he caught sight of what was on the boy’s feet and before he knew what he was doing, Harry had blurted out, “Good God, what are those things on your feet?”

And _there_ was that sunshine smile that Harry had been looking for. “They’re Jeremy Scott Wings, mate. Ain’t they gorgeous?” he said as he lifted one foot as if to show the monstrosities off. Harry barely stopped himself from wincing, the shoes were atrocious and Harry could not bring himself to say anything nice about them.

He was floundering for something polite to say when Gary obviously remembered who he was speaking to and cringed, his face flushed so red Harry was concerned for his blood pressure. If Harry had thought he’d been tensed up before he was even worse now, his back almost ramrod straight even as he tried to make himself smaller.

“I’m sor-,“ Gary started and Harry couldn’t stand the thought of this vibrant young man apologising to him for something so inconsequential that he found himself breaking another personal rule and very rudely interrupted him mid-sentence.

“Shall we move on? Now, I believe I was about to say, good morning to you, Gary and to thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice.” It came out a bit more abrupt than Harry had intended and it showed in Gary’s apprehensive face and the way he eyed Harry’s outstretched hand like it was a live snake.

Harry was starting to feel a little silly with his hand out in mid-air when Gary leaned in like he had a secret to impart. Not knowing what else to do, Harry leaned in as well, curious as to what the boy had to say.  

“I dunno if I’m allowed to shake your hand?” It sounded like a question but Harry didn’t have the opportunity to answer because Gary just bulldozed along, “Uhm, it’s just, that Merlin bloke was very clear that I wasn’t to touch anything. You especially, sir,” he whispered. “Your Highness, I mean. Sorry. And sorry for the other thing too, with the…” He waved a hand in the direction of his shoes. “Oh, shi-” He cut himself off mid curse and jerked back surprising Harry with the abrupt movement. “I forgot to do the bowing thing...” Suiting words to action, he made the most self-conscious and uncoordinated bow Harry had ever seen, leaving Harry biting his inner cheek to stop himself from smiling. He knew it wasn’t intentional but he was finding the boy’s awkwardness utterly adorable.

“Nonsense. All of that is totally unnecessary. Merlin is a stickler for protocol only when it suits him. Now, it _is_ good manners to shake the hand that’s offered to you,” Harry said, extending his hand once again. He smiled in what he hoped was an encouraging manner.

Gary still looked unsure, those beautiful eyes making quick contact with Harry’s before darting nervously away again. “Not that I’m questioning you or anything but this is definitely allowed right?”

Gary hooked a thumb over his shoulder pointing to what Harry assumed was Merlin hiding behind the closed door, “’Cause that Merlin bloke is right scary and I had to sign a huge stack of papers saying I agreed to follow all his rules. He was _very_ clear what he’d do to me if I broke any of ‘em.”

Harry sighed, partly in relief but mostly in exasperation. Merlin would be the death of him one day. He was sure of it.

“Gary, I’m definitely sure this is allowed. Merlin is correct in that Royal Protocol dictates that no one should touch the royal person but I am the one initiating contact, which is acceptable. And even if it isn’t, I _am_ the Prince. I think of all people, _I_ can bend the rules a little.” Harry quirked an eyebrow at Gary and was gratified when he got a nervous smile in return. It was nothing like the smile earlier but considering the circumstances, it gave Harry hope that things would not turn out to be the disaster he’d dreaded it would be.

“And ignore Merlin. He lives for paperwork,” he continued. “His day isn’t complete unless he can ruin someone’s day, usually mine, by making them go through reams of paperwork.”

That got an even wider smile in return and Harry could practically see some of the tension easing out of the boy’s shoulders. Unconsciously, he moved closer and touched Gary’s arm gently wanting to reassure him and was pleased when he didn’t flinch away just looked down wide eyed at where Harry’s hand was resting lightly on his arm.

“Now, let’s try this again shall we?” Harry said and caught Gary’s eyes when he looked up, willing him not to look away. “Hello, Gary. It’s nice to finally meet you properly. My name is Harry Hart. Some people call me Your Highness but I much prefer being called Harry by my friends.” Gary still looked uncertain. “And I’m terribly sorry but I find your shoes absolutely atrocious,” Harry couldn’t help but add.

Gary laughed and it was marvellous. He looked down at his shoes and actually snorted before he nodded. “Mum says they’re an acquired taste,” he said with a small grin and Harry’s rebellious heart skipped a beat at the sight of it aimed at him. Gary looked at Harry’s hand again and seemed to make up his mind.

The hand that finally met Harry’s was slightly sweaty but the handshake was firm and the grin that accompanied it made all the earlier worrying worthwhile.

“Hullo, Harry. It’s nice to meet you too. And call me Eggsy. All my friends do.”


	9. Chapter 9

Eggsy would’ve swooned if he was that type of guy. Instead he kept a very firm hold on his excitement and shook Prince Harry’s – _Prince Harry’s!!!_ – hand as firmly as he could. He really hoped that his hands weren’t as sweaty as he thought they would be but the Prince wasn’t pulling away to wipe his hands down so it mustn’t be that bad.

He’d remembered that the bloke was pretty good looking but shit, Eggsy hadn’t been prepared for how drop dead gorgeous he was. Amazing smile, beautiful eyes and fuck him but the man’s tailor should be nominated for sainthood because the obviously custom made suit fitted him like a glove, emphasising the wide shoulders and trim waist not to mention the legs that went on for miles. Eggsy was pretty sure he’d be having dreams about those legs now.

He was giving those long, long legs another look over when he realised that he was ogling the crown prince of England. Feeling his face going red, Eggsy dragged his eyes away from the eye candy and looked his host in the face and flushed even more when he realised from the amused look and raised eyebrow that the man was very aware that Eggsy had been checking him out.

“Sorry, Your Hi-” Eggsy cut himself off when he saw the prince start to frown. “Harry,” he amended and enjoyed the smile that appeared instead. He smiled back; trying for calm and collected when inside he was dying of excitement that he as calling the Crown Prince of England, Harry. “Uhm, you have a beautiful house, Harry,” he said, having vaguely remembered hearing people saying that from one of those house hunting shows on telly.

The smile widened, laugh lines appeared around his eyes, making an already handsome face beautiful and Eggsy found it very hard to keep his cool and not just start grinning like the captivated idiot he was turning into.

“Thank you, Eggsy. But I’m being a terrible host. Please, have a seat.” Harry gestured to one of the armchairs before he walked over to a side table filled with bottles. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

Eggsy walked over to the very rich looking leather armchair and stood awkwardly next to it. “You remember how I told you Merlin gave me a list of rules?”

Harry stopped in his perusal of the drinks and turned to Eggsy with a pained expression on his face and said in an exasperated tone of voice, “He told you, you weren’t allowed to sit before me didn’t he?”

Eggsy looked embarrassed as he nodded wordlessly and tried not fidget.

“Merlin is an annoying Scottish bastard who only hauls out all these antiquated rules when he wants to aggravate me.” Harry told Eggsy, who couldn’t quite believe he’d just heard the prince call someone a bastard, just nodded for lack of anything better to do.

“Eggsy, you have my permission to sit. In fact, I _order_ you to sit. I also order you to disregard everything Merlin told you.” Harry rolled his eyes even as he levelled another of his devastating smiles at Eggsy. “He’s an old man whose only pleasure in life is giving me grief. Now, what would you like to drink?”

“Uhm.” Eggsy took a quick look at the labels on the bottles and didn’t really recognise most of them. “Whatever you recommend, bruv. I mean, Harry.” He winced. “Sorry, Harry. ‘S not every day you get told to call a prince by his name, you know. It’ll take me a bit to get used to it,” he apologised as he sat down, marvelling at the softness of the leather under his fingers. _Posh people had the comfiest chairs._

Harry just laughed quietly, not even bothering to turn back round from where he was carefully selecting and pouring out two drinks. “I think I’m going to have to have a talk with Merlin. I don’t know what rubbish he’s been filling your head with but I’m not an ogre. I’m not going to be upset if you forget to use my name or even by a bit of swearing.” He paused and turned to point at Eggsy. “However, call me ‘bruv’ again and I will have to do something drastic.” The smile on his face belied his words however and Eggsy relaxed further into his seat. This man was definitely nothing like Eggsy expected.

“Like chopping off my head drastic?” Eggsy asked with a teasing grin.

Harry laughed again and walked over to offer Eggsy one of the glasses he was carrying. “I think the British public would frown at something like that,” Harry replied as he settled himself much more gracefully than Eggsy in the opposite chair. “Not to mention how messy it would be. Blood is so hard to get out of carpeting, you know,” he added mischievously causing Eggsy to burst into laughter even as he was trying to figure out if Harry was flirting with him. It didn’t seem possible but it kind of felt like he was, just not in the obvious way Eggsy was used to. _Was this how posh people flirted?_

To play it safe, he fell silent and sipped on his drink instead. It was good shit. Probably the best stuff he’d had by far and he happily let out an appreciative hum as he took a larger drink.

Harry caught his eye and nodded at the drink questioningly.

“This is nice,” Eggsy said. “Thanks. Best stuff I’ve had. Must have cost a fortune,” he couldn’t help adding.

Harry nodded his agreement. “A present from Merlin. Whatever else you think about him, he has excellent taste in scotch.”

Seeing this as the opportunity it was Eggsy took the chance and asked, “So what’s the deal with Mr Grumpy McGrumpypants?”

Harry’s lips twitched. “Mr Grumpy McGrumpypants?”

“Yeah, well, what kind of a name is _Merlin_? Is that his real name or some sort of code name? If it’s his real name, who names their kid after a fictional wizard?”

“I think it might be best if you asked him that.”

Eggsy pulled a face. “You’re having a laugh, right? I ask him and he might kill me. He’s got that whole grumpy psycho killer Scots thing going for him.”

“Most people find Merlin rather intimidating and wouldn’t be so free with making fun of him.” Harry pointed out, but he was smiling so Eggsy took that as indication that he hadn’t offended the man by making fun of his friend.

“Well, yeah. He definitely scared the pants off me. But what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, yeah?” Eggsy grinned cheekily at him.

“And what makes you think he doesn’t know?” Harry’s voice gave no indication if he was joking and Eggsy didn’t know the man well enough to tell if he was.

“How would he find out?” Eggsy laughed. “’S not like he’s got spying on us right now.”

Eggsy’s laughter died out when Harry just raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his drink. He looked supremely relaxed and very, very smug and Eggsy’s eyes widened as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. “You’re shitting me, right?”

Harry just continued looking at him, his expression as placid as if they were discussing the weather. “You are aware he is my head of security? It’s not just an empty title. Merlin takes his job very seriously.”

“This room has cameras don’t it. Fuck me. Hidden spy cameras.”

Harry smirked at Eggsy, adjusting his glasses. “Something like that.”

Eggsy was torn between being horrified that Merlin was spying on them and excited because _spy cameras._ When he realised that Merlin might’ve heard everything he’d said about him, he settled on being horrified.

“Is he watching? You have those mini cameras embedded in the walls or something?” He looked around the room trying to see if he could spot any cameras. “Can he hear me? ‘Cause if he heard me making fun of his name, I’m a dead man.”

Harry’s laughter lasted for quite a while and he sounded so honestly amused that Eggsy couldn’t help but join in. The entire situation was ridiculous and he gave up trying to make sense of it all.

They spent the next half hour talking about anything and everything. From Eggsy’s X-Games training, to Harry’s love of small dogs to Eggsy’s genuine fear over how much he’d miss Daisy growing up when he went off for Marines training. For a posh bloke and a prince to boot, Harry surprised Eggsy with how easy he was to talk to. He seemed genuinely interested in everything Eggsy had to say and his comments weren’t rehearsed nor was his interest manufactured. Eggsy was very, very impressed and also becoming very, very invested in not letting this meeting be a one-time thing.

“I gotta ask,” Eggsy said when the talking finally slowed and they were sitting back in their chairs finishing their second serving of scotch.

“Hmm?”

Harry was watching him again, looking so casual and at ease with his long legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles, a smile on his face that brought out the laugh lines and softened his face, and Eggsy was caught in by the warmth in those beautiful brown  eyes before he remembered himself and looked away to regather his thoughts. His mum had never mentioned anything about how distracting Harry was.

“Why did you want to meet me? I mean, I’m having a right nice time and all.” Here he paused and looked at Harry directly. “I’m real happy I got to meet you but, it’s all very James Bond innit? With the agents and the secret meeting. Why all the effort for someone you met for only five seconds?”

The abruptness of the question seemed to surprise the other man out of his comfortable mood as he paused with his drink halfway to his mouth and straightened in his seat. He sighed and lowered his hand, the glass dangling from long fingers. “Well, I wanted to meet the young man who dropped out of the sky.” Harry glanced up at Eggsy and smiled somewhat shyly. “It isn’t every day that I have handsome young men literally fall for me.”

Eggsy blushed furiously and wished very hard for the floor to open up and swallow him right then and there. He cleared his throat before saying earnestly, “Swear down I didn’t know it was you that day. And then those men, must’ve been your Kingsman, they hustled me away so fast.”

To his relief Harry didn’t look angry, just bemused.

“They didn’t tell you?”

“Well…” Eggsy hesitated in his reply, watching Harry watching him. Harry seemed like a good guy and Eggsy really liked him. He wasn’t at all pretentious and Eggsy just felt a strange sort of connection with him the more they spoke. It helped that Harry was _very_ good looking and Eggsy sort of wanted to climb him like a tree.

But, and it was a very big but, Harry was royalty. Eggsy was the mouthy shit from the estates. Eggsy could not see anything happening there other than being laughed at very loudly and then if Harry took offence, well...

Harry had all that power at his fingertips and then when you threw in the very terrifying Merlin and his Kingsman, Harry could probably order him killed and his body buried somewhere no one could ever find it. Which was actually pretty bad when you thought about it carefully but Eggsy had never been one to think carefully and he wouldn’t know if he didn’t try. He also really wanted to know if that sense of potential hovering in the air between them could lead to anything.

And hey, he thought to himself as he watched Harry sit forward in his chair. If it all backfired, he could always play it off as a joke. After all, Harry was handsome as fuck and probably got propositioned all the time.

“They might’a said something but I wasn’t really listening. I was a bit preoccupied…”


	10. Chapter 10

Harry leaned forward in his chair. His interest was piqued. He’d watched as Eggsy had what looked like a very serious internal debate before deciding on something and was now was leading up to something important and he was more than happy to oblige. As a matter of fact, he would have been completely agreeable to anything Eggsy suggested or said at that moment as he was utterly charmed by the way Eggsy was peeking at him from under his lashes and the way the tips of his ears had turned a beguiling pink. The little voice in his head that sounded remarkably like Merlin was calling him all kinds of a besotted fool but for the life of him, Harry did not care.

“Preoccupied? What by, dear boy?” The endearment slipped out but Eggsy didn’t appear to have noticed.

“I feel I should own up that I don’t really remember much of you specifically.”

Harry was a bit crushed at hearing that but didn’t let anything show on his face as Eggsy continued.

“I mean, I remember that you were well fit from where I’d fallen on you but everything else was a bit of a blur except for one thing.” He stopped again and chewed his lip, which was distracting in the extreme. Harry inadvertently flashed to an image of him leaning forward and taking the swollen lip into his own mouth and had to look away quickly in case he acted out his fantasy. He was a bit shocked at himself. Less than an hour spent in Eggsy’s presence and he was already losing all sense of propriety.

“Well see, I wasn’t listening to anything they was saying cause… you got very pretty eyes, Harry,” Eggsy blurted out. “They’re the colour of chocolate and I love chocolate and I couldn’t stop thinking ‘bout them and I wasn't really listening to what anyone was saying and then your Kingsman looked right pissed so I legged it…” he trailed off blushing furiously and Harry was once again rendered speechless.

\---

Harry shrugged into his coat, ignoring the silent shadow hovering just behind him. Eggsy had left not too long ago, safe in the company of Lancelot and now it was Harry’s turn to return to his duties. Merlin had kept his peace since they’d seen Eggsy out but now Harry could almost physically feel the curiosity emanating from him.

“How did it to go with your toyboy?” Merlin broke as Harry knew he would. Of the two, Merlin’s curiosity would always get the better of him.

“That’s hardly a respectful term to use, Merlin,” Harry said reproachfully but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he remembered how adorably flustered Eggsy had become after his confession and how pleased he’d been when Harry hadn’t rebuffed him.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Merlin sounded both fascinated and horrified. “You’re smitten!” He accused.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Mind your own business, you nosey git. You’re my Head of Security, not my confessor. I don’t need to tell you anything.”

“Your business _is_ my business, Your Highness. _All_ of your business. You are after all my liege and your welfare is my concern, up to and including when you fall head over heels in love,” Merlin managed to say with a completely straight face.

“Tell me, Merlin, why do I let you stay when you show absolutely no respect for me whatsoever?”

Merlin smirked. “Because of my charming wit and sparkling personality.”

“Yes, that’s it” Harry replied dryly. “You’re the life of every party aren’t you, Alasdair?”

“That and also my ability to put up with your sorry arse,” Merlin continued as they heard a car draw up outside. Merlin waited for Percival’s confirmation over his glasses before he opened the door and stepped outside, alertness in every line of his body.

Harry just rolled his eyes as he waited for the all clear from his Kingsman before he stepped outside.

“You realise ignoring me isn’t going to make me go away,” Merlin said as Harry walked past still stubbornly refused to look at him.

“It might not make you go away, but it does make me happy so I’m going to continue doing it,”

“You wound me,” Merlin deadpanned. “After all the trouble I went to arranging this meeting, and you aren’t you going to tell me how it went? I am truly hurt, Your Highness,” he said as he held the car door open for Harry.

Harry bit down on the smile that wanted to emerge. He knew the not knowing would be driving Merlin crazy. Ever since he’d known him, Merlin had never been able to handle being in the dark about anything and Harry took a certain amount of glee every time he knew something that Merlin didn’t.

He got into the car and stifled a snort as Merlin shut the door behind him with a very loud aggrieved sigh.

“Merlin not coming with us today, Arthur?” Percival asked quietly through the lowered partition.

“Not today, Percival. I believe he’s having Lancelot pick him up later. Shall we go?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

It was only when they were away from the house that Harry tapped his glasses. He waited for Merlin’s acknowledging grunt before he said, “By the way, we’re meeting again on Tuesday. He’ll be bringing his Playstation so he can teach me how to play. I believe he said it was a tragedy that I’d never tried it before. I gave him your number so expect a call soon to arrange it. Thank you, Merlin.” Without waiting for a reply, he tapped the frames again, muting Merlin’s exclamations on the other side.

Harry leaned back in his seat with a grin. He did so love getting the last word in over his best friend.


	11. Chapter 11

Merlin, Gawain and Harry nearly collided with each in the corridor as they all reacted to Eggsy’s yell.

Harry reached the bathroom door first and ignoring Merlin and Gawain’s protests, threw the door open and immediately reeled back when Eggsy practically catapulted out.

“What the fuck, Harry. You have a stuffed dog in your toilet!” Eggsy shouted as he pointed frantically at the aforementioned stuffed dog sitting in pride of place above the lavatory.

“I see you’ve met Mr. Pickle,” was Harry’s calm response which didn’t seem to have the intended effect at all when Eggsy just shot him a disbelieving look.

“You named the stuffed dog in your toilet Mr. Pickle? You fucking freak!”

Merlin and Gawain exchanged amused looks once they realised there wasn’t an actual emergency and discretely left the pair to it. This discussion was above their pay grade.

\---

Eggsy laughed so much he fell off the lounge and continued laughing where he’d landed on the floor. Harry was actually pouting as he glared at the controller in his hands and then at the red Game Over text flashing on the screen in front of them.

“Oh my god, how can you be so bad at this?” Eggsy gasped out between laughs. “It’s literally point and shoot. I thought you’d been in the army?”

“Royal Army Medical Corps, Eggsy,” he said acidly. “I put people back together not shot them to pieces. Anyway, I think there was something wrong with this thing.” Harry shook the controller in his hands before tossing it on the coffee table. He really regretted letting Eggsy bring his Playstation over. “It must be broken.”

“You’re such a sore loser,” Eggsy said fondly as clambered back onto the lounge next to Harry. He nudged Harry familiarly with his shoulder. “Look, how ‘bout we play something easy this time?” He rifled through the box he’d brought with him and triumphantly held up a dvd case.

All Harry could make out was a brown puppet thing and a globe. The title read _LittleBigPlanet_.

“Easy peasy!” Eggsy said as he smiled at him wide and happy and Harry was helpless to do anything but smile back.

\---

“Come on, Harry. It’ll be fun.”

“I somehow do not believe that your concept of fun ties in with my concept of fun, Eggsy,” said Harry who looked very different in the worn jeans, workman boots, army jacket and cap that Eggsy had cajoled him into. In fact, he looked entirely unlike his usual gentlemanly self which was extremely concerning.

He looked at himself in the mirror and winced in distaste. “I look horrendous. No one would ever believe me if I were to tell them I wore this voluntarily.”

“Thas the whole point, ain’t it, Harry. No one’ll recognise you this way.” Eggsy was practically bouncing on his feet with excitement as he gave Harry a quick once over before snatching the cap off his head. “Hate to say it, Harry, but you definitely ain’t a hat man.”

“You have no idea how gratified I am to hear that, Eggsy,” Harry said flatly as he continued glaring at himself in the mirror. He lifted his hands to smooth down his hair only to have them be grabbed by Eggsy who was shaking his head.

“No, no, no. Leave it like all messed up like that. Make you fit the disguise better.”

“Eggsy, I really don’t think that this is a good idea. For one, Merlin will kill us. And two, Merlin will kill us.”

“Oh, quit your complaining and live a little, Harry!” Was all Eggsy said as he rubbed his hands together excitedly. “What Merlin don’t know, won’t kill him. Anyways, you’re the one who wanted to go to a pub without all the usual brouhaha and security bullshit. Now, are you ready to go undercover?”

Eggsy was glowing with excitement, the smile on his face wide and his eyes shining a brilliant green. He looked beautiful and Harry didn’t have the heart to deny him anything even knowing that Merlin would have his hide for sneaking out without telling him.

Although, that in itself made the whole thing worthwhile. It would keep the old bastard from becoming too complacent.

\---

Reading about it was one thing, Merlin’s reports were dry and matter of fact and he felt removed from the drama. Whereas having Eggsy tell him face-to-face, his voice breaking at points and unable to look Harry in the eye at others, of his step-father and everything the man had put Eggsy and his family though made Harry wish the man was still around so he could take advantage of having a group of highly trained agents at his beck and call.

Harry hadn’t fought the urge to gather his boy in his arms and hold him when he finally broke down and cried about the first time he’d seen his mother with a bruise on her cheek.

And then he listened with growing pride as Eggsy told how he’d finally convinced his mother to take his half-sister Daisy and go to a woman’s refuge and then worked multiple jobs, scrimped and saved until he had enough money to afford a small flat for the three of them. Dean a distant memory now, having finally run afoul of the law and ending up in prison.

Harry held this brave young man and silently wished that he could protect him from everything that would hurt him.

\---

It was late and the rain beat a steady tattoo on his open umbrella.

Harry’s coat and trousers were slightly wet where they were exposed to the rain and he was started to feel the cold but he had no intention of hurrying. He couldn’t remember the reason Eggsy had given for wanting to take a walk and Harry could deny him nothing, so there they were in the cold and wet. With each passing day, Harry fell further in love with the impossible young man and he prayed that the fondness he saw in Eggsy’s eyes meant that he felt something for him in turn.

He looked down to where Eggsy was tucked into his side and the cold he was feeling was banished in the warmth that swells. Somewhere out there Percival and Lancelot with Bors and Gawain as backup are keeping an eye on them but with the rain coming down around them keeping most people inside, it’s like Eggsy and he are the only two people around.

The illusion of privacy gave him courage and he carefully wrapped his arm around Eggsy’s shoulder and brought him closer, even daring to drop a kiss on the top of Eggsy’s head.

His heart skipped a beat when Eggsy didn’t pull away but snuggled in, a warm and solid presence by Harry’s side.

They don’t speak but continued walking, the rain a steady noise on the open umbrella.

It was late and raining, Harry was a bit damp but he wasn’t cold anymore. Most sane people were at home keeping dry and warm but Harry was outside walking with Eggsy and he couldn’t be happier.

\---

One stray comment about never having watched _Pretty Woman_ and Eggsy had found himself steered towards the sofa and gently pushed into it whilst Harry had busied himself with putting the movie on. Or more like asking Merlin to do it because Harry loathed the complicated entertainment system with its multiple remote controls that Merlin had rigged up.

Eyes drawn inexorably to Harry, has realised that no matter where they were or who was in the room with them, Eggsy’s eyes were always drawn to Harry. Harry who was so handsome and good, and so patient with Eggsy and basically just so perfect. Eggsy didn’t know what he’d done to deserve this man’s attention.

Watching him arguing with Merlin as he poked at the buttons on one of the remotes, Eggsy felt a curl of warmth deep in his chest for this man who was so ridiculously out of his league but liked him anyway.

BY this point, they’d somehow lost all sense of personal space and Eggsy didn’t think twice about leaning into Harry when he finally sat down, welcoming the arm that Harry automatically wrapped around his shoulders.

Training had picked up what with the Games being so close and Eggsy was exhausted. Harry smelt so good and he was warm and Eggsy felt his muscles slowly start to unwind. As the movie progressed, he gradually slid lower until his head was cushioned in Harry’s lap with one of Harry’s hand slowly combing through his hair. If he was capable of it, Eggsy was certain he would have purred.

Vivian was singing in her bubble bath when the long week finally caught up to Eggsy.

He wasn’t aware when he fell asleep only knowing that the last thing he could remember was the comforting feel of being surrounded by Harry, one hand in his hair and the other stroking his hip, and the smell of Harry’s cologne - spicy and woody and just perfect – surrounding him.

\---

“I am so very proud of you, Eggsy,” Harry said. He could hear the tinny sounds of people cheering over the phone.

“Thanks, Harry,” was Eggsy’s breathless reply. “I wish you were here,” he added quietly and Harry closed his eyes in regret.

“I wish I was there too, my dear. But needs must. These meetings couldn’t be postponed.”

“I know,” Eggsy replied. “I’m not complaining. Just would’ve been nice to have you here.”

Percival was motioning to him and Harry nodded his understanding. “I’m sorry, darling, but I must go. You enjoy your victory. Celebrate with your friends. I’ll see you when you get home.”

“’Kay. Thanks for taking the time to call. You needn’t have bothered, you know.”

“Oh, Eggsy. You’re never a bother. Anytime you want to speak to me, you can just call. I mean it, Eggsy. Merlin knows to put you right through no matter what,” Harry said.

“Thanks, Harry.”

Harry expected that to be it but Eggsy didn’t hang up and whilst it was silly and childish, Harry was loath to be the first one to end their conversation.

“You really should go, dear boy. I’m sure your friends are waiting,” he prompted.

If silence could be sullen, then that was what Eggsy’s was.

“I’ll see you when I get back?”

“Of course you will, darling”

“Promise?”

Eggsy’s question was spoken so softly that Harry nearly missed it with his attention half caught by Percival’s now more forceful gestures.

“Darling, I really do need to go now. I promise I’ll call you as soon as I’m back.”

“Aight, Harry.”

He mumbled something else but it was too soft to hear. Harry could’ve sworn it sounded like “I love you” but he didn’t dare to call Eggsy back to ask. The possibility that it was what he said was enough.

\---

Eggsy pulled at his tie again and tried not to flinch back when Roxy smacked his hands away.

“Leave it alone, Eggsy,” she said as she smoothed it down with nimble fingers. “And stop fidgeting.”

“Feels like a noose, Rox,” Eggsy was not whining as he resisted the urge to tug the bottom of the suit jacket. It was jet black, as were the trousers, waistcoat and tie, and when paired with a white shirt, it made Eggsy feel like a million dollars.

When Harry had brought up having a suit made up for him, Eggsy had balked. Harry had worn him down though and this was the first time he was going to be wearing the Kingsman approved suit in public. He could not argue that it made him look amazing but he felt fucking out of place in it.

Roxy ignored his grumbling as she took careful stock of Eggsy and must have approved of what she saw as she nodded with satisfaction and stepped back.

“You look very handsome, Eggsy. Harry’s not going to know what hit him.”

He felt comforted by her words but still felt worried. “You sure, Rox? It doesn’t look like I’m trying to hard?”

Roxy reached over and gave his hands a quick squeeze. “Harry will love it,” she said with a reassuring smile even as she tapped her glasses in what Eggsy had come to understand was her signalling Merlin. She listened for a minute before she nodded.

“Time to go, Eggsy.”

The drive was quiet. Eggsy was too preoccupied and sensing that, Roxy had stayed silent.

It was only when they reached the little restaurant that Harry had said was his favourite that she spoke.

“Everything will turn out fine, Eggsy. You’ll see.”

Eggsy just smiled tightly and got out of the car. His stomach felt like it’d been invaded by the entire British football team.

The restaurant looked very exclusive, tucked away in a quiet part of London. According Roxy’s earlier explanations, Harry ate here frequently. The owners were old friends of his family and didn’t think twice about closing the entire place so that he could eat alone and in peace. This time thought he wouldn’t be alone, Eggsy would be eating with him.

Eggsy took a deep breath and pushed the heavy door open and walked in. The inside was posh in an understated way, discretely placed lamps providing a warm light, walls painted a light cream with the only splashes of colour the potted plants dotted around the place.

Merlin was the first person he saw, dressed in a suit this time and looking even more intimidating than usual.

He took Eggsy in in one look and nodded, a small smile on his face. “Looking good, Eggsy,” he said, which was as big a compliment as Merlin had ever given him and boosted Eggsy’s confidence more than anything Roxy had said.

“Feeling good, Merlin,” he replied, cockier than he felt and very proud that his voice didn’t waver at all.

Merlin gestured further into the restaurant. “He’s waiting for you. And oh, congratulations on your X-Games win. We’re all very proud of you. ”

Eggsy smiled and nodded his thanks. He’d been so caught up in the whole new suit and being seen with Harry in public, even if it was only the staff of the restaurant that he’d forgotten they were here to celebrate his win.

He adjusted his cuffs the way Percival had shown him and straightened up. He could do this.

A few steps past the divider and he saw Harry seated at a table covered in a snowy white table cloth. He was dressed in a dark suit much the same as Eggsy’s but with a red tie instead and looked so handsome Eggsy swore his heart stopped beating at the sight.

The desire for Harry that was constantly on a low burn in him burst into flame when Harry noticed him and stood up, the force of his smile and open pleasure at seeing Eggsy making him forgot all his earlier worries.

\---

The dinner had been magical. There were no words Harry could find to describe how he had felt when he’d looked up and seen Eggsy step into the room dressed in that suit. Suffice to say he’d forgotten every single thing he’d been intending to say and could only stand and smile as his heart walked closer.

\---

The music had stopped but neither man seemed to have noticed wrapped up in each other as they were and swaying gently on the small dance floor. They were a striking pair, both dressed in smart suits, one tall with dark hair, the other shorter with hair that shone gold in the lighting of the restaurant.

The wait staff were unobtrusive in their cleaning but they couldn’t help the quick glances at the still dancing couple. They’d all signed confidential agreements which ensured they could never speak of it to anyone, even each other, but all were positive they were watching their Prince fall in love.

Bors looked over to where Percival was and raised an eyebrow to be met with a knowing smile. He’d never seen their Prince that infatuated with anyone before. It was enlightening to say the least.

Percival knew that feeling smug was unbecoming of a gentleman but he couldn’t be anything but smug to get one over Bors. He’d told the man that their Prince was in love only to be scoffed at. This would show him that Percival knew what he was talking about.

Merlin finished his comms checks on all the Kingsman currently guarding the various entry points to the restaurant and sighed when he saw that Harry and Eggsy were still holding each other as they circled the small dance floor oblivious to the world around them. He was happy for them. He really was. But he dreaded the day when Eggsy had to leave for his training. For all his planning skills, Merlin had no idea how that would play out.

\---

Harry had already been half in love with Eggsy before meeting him and it hadn’t been hard at all for him to fall all the way in love. He was everything bright and beautiful and it was just too easy to love him.

Eggsy was Harry’s first and last thought of the day and he despaired over what to do next. They’d been spending so much time together and getting closer but other than a bit of cuddling, nothing else had happened. Harry didn’t want to push, he didn’t want to take advantage of Eggsy but he was getting desperate. The more time they spent together, the more he wanted to take this boy in his arms and never let him go. There was only another two months left before Eggsy was to leave for the training camp and after that there was no telling when they’d be able to meet.

Not long after the dinner at his favourite restaurant, they were at Harry’s, ostensibly camped out on the sofa watching a movie together but in reality Harry had lost interest within the first five minutes and was spending his time watching Eggsy, admiring the line of his jaw and the way his tongue darted out periodically to wet his lips. He was absentmindley playing with Harry’s fingers and Harry was ferociously suppressing his shivers each time those calloused fingers brushed against palms.

They were curled up together, something they did all the time now without even thinking about it, and Harry was enjoying the soft brush of Eggsy’s hair against his cheek when Eggsy suddenly turned to look up at him, catching Harry out as he quickly tried to pretend he’d been paying attention to the screen.

“Harry, look, I’ve been patient, didn’t want to rush things and I’m sorry if I’ve got this wrong, but…”

Eggsy twisted and swung his leg around so he was straddling Harry. Automatically Harry’s hands dropped to fit themselves around the small of Eggsy’s waist and he nearly balked when instead of touching cloth, his hands touched skin where Eggsy’s shirt had lifted from his movements.

He was getting distracted by how warm and soft the skin was when Eggsy leaned in and gently placed his hands on Harry’s cheeks and brought their faces together. Harry could feel his heart beating overtime as he watched those beloved green eyes come closer but then Eggsy stopped, their lips barely touching and breathing each other’s air.

“Tell me to stop and I will.”

“Never,” Harry whispered as he wound his arms around Eggsy’s waist and shoulders, pulling him closer until they were chest to chest and finally closed the small distance between their mouths.

The first touch of lips was electric. Harry swore he could feel it all the way to the soles of his feet. It was a feeling he never forgot.


	12. Chapter 12

Eggsy was having a hard time believing what was happening. He’d imagined it for so long that now it was finally happening, it didn’t feel real.

Anticipation hummed though him. Harry was solid under his thighs and so close, his lips a whisper away.

_“Tell me to stop and I will.”_

_“Never,” Harry whispered_.

A single word had never sounded sweeter to Eggsy’s ears. His heart raced in his chest as he watched those beautiful brown eyes come closer. With the first brush of Harry’s lips against his, he went pliant and melted into Harry’s arms.

It was gentle, the kiss almost chaste in its sweetness, but it warmed Eggsy from the inside out.

Harry pulled away and Eggsy blinked his eyes open, surprised that they had closed in the first place. He watched languidly as Harry brought a hand up to cup his jaw and brushed his bottom lip with his thumb.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, eyes intent and by unspoken agreement, they came together again.

Patient and steady, Harry deepened the kiss until Eggsy forgot his own name. He could only cling to those broad shoulders as Harry set about taking him apart with just his mouth and hands.

Harry was kissing the sensitive spot just behind Eggsy's ear and Eggsy had his hands in Harry's hair when they were interrupted. The door opening and a Scottish voice exclaimed, “Oh Christ, my eyes! Get a room, you inconsiderate shites.”

They jolted apart. Eggsy tried to scramble off Harry’s lap but Harry’s hands on his waist stayed him. A quick look at the stubborn set of Harry’s jaw and Eggsy stopped. Instead, he dropped his head into the crook of Harry’s neck and huffed in frustration.

“In case it’s escaped your notice, Merlin. This _is_ a room,” Harry replied dryly. His voice was a bit hoarse but remarkably even considering the circumstances.

“May I also point that not only is this a room, it’s also one that you have rudely entered without knocking. Manners maketh man, Merlin.”

Eggsy didn’t have to look to know Merlin was scowling at them.

“How was I to know you’d be in here snogging like a pair of teenagers. In a _public_ room, no less. Manners maketh man, my arse. Where’s your self-control, man?”

Eggsy tuned the two of them out. He was much more interested in the pale skin he could see just under the open collar of Harry’s shirt. It looked soft and was slightly flushed and Eggsy itched to touch it. He pushed the neck of the shirt to the side and let his fingers wander across the exposed collarbones. He watched as the flush deepened and grinned to himself when he felt the hitch in Harry’s breathing.

The tightening of the hands on his waist was his only warning before he felt them slide beneath his untucked shirt. When Harry started brushing his fingers over the sensitive skin of his lower back, Eggsy clenched his hands in Harry’s shirt and bit his lip, willing himself not to squirm or make any noises that would embarrass them both in front of Merlin.

He pushed his face into Harry’s neck to smother the gasp that escaped him when one of Harry’s hands slipped under his jeans, and fuck was he relieved he’d worn the looser pair today. Soft fingers brushed the cleft of his arse and Eggsy bit his lip to stop himself from groaning. As a warning he pinched Harry’s side who flinched, but didn’t stop his wandering hands.

Merlin was still talking and knowing the man better now, Eggsy realised he would continue if he wasn’t stopped. Any other time and he’d be enjoying their banter, egging them on even. Not today though. He couldn’t get Merlin out of there fast enough.

Eggsy lifted his head and glared at Merlin. “Think I’m well within my rights to snog my boyfriend wherever and whenever I want, Merlin,” Eggsy interrupted him.

“Boyfriend?” Merlin perked up. “He finally got off his arse and asked you?”

“You having a laugh, bruv? Slower than a glacier this one.” Eggsy patted Harry on his chest before leaning forward and planting a fond kiss on his nose. “I did the asking, mate.”

Harry went still, his hands frozen in place. Eggsy was concerned to see how serious he looked and frowned.

“Boyfriend?” Harry repeated, voice low.

Eggsy frowned. “Yeah, well, it’s what happens when you’re going out with someone ain’t it? Unless you don’t want to be. I mean, we don’t have to be. We could be friends with benefits. But it’d be nice if we were. Boyfriends, not friends with benefits. But we’d still be friends. I really like you, Harry. But I ain’t trying to push you into any… Mmph.” Harry had cut off his rambling by the simple act of kissing him.

When they finally pulled apart, Harry cupped his face, his thumbs gentle as they stroked Eggsy’s cheeks. The look on his face was soft and full of wonder and Eggsy fell a little bit more.

“You’re not pushing me into anything, Eggsy,” Harry reassured him. “I want. I definitely want, dearest heart. I’ve wanted you for so long I’ve forgotten what it feels like to wake up and not want you.” Harry punctuated each sentence with a soft kiss. “You have no idea just how much I want you, Eggsy.”

Even as he melted at the depth of feeling Harry was displaying, Eggsy being Eggsy could not resist the opening Harry had just given him.

“Oh?” Eggsy wiggled his eyebrows and leered playfully at Harry and then rolled his hips purposefully, rubbing his unmistakable hardness against the one he could feel under him. The low groan that was torn out of Harry was gratifying indeed.

“I think I’ve definitely got some idea just how much you want, Harry.”

Harry looked torn between exasperation and turned on. He tried to scowl at Eggsy but the way his mouth kept ticking up in the corner made it pretty unconvincing.

“I'm trying to have a serious discussion here and admit my feelings and you turn it into a dirty joke? I'm beginning to regret this already,” he said jokingly even as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Eggsy's.

“My darling boy,” he said softly and Eggsy leaned in to kiss his boyfriend.

Neither of them noticed when Merlin left the room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short chapter. It's more or less the last really 'happy' bit before things start getting more angsty. Sorry?

Merlin closed the door quietly behind him, not in the least offended that the men inside had very obviously forgotten all about him. He was happy for his friends, besotted fools that they were, but he was mightily pissed off that they’d taken so long and made him lose.

Merlin hated losing.

He took as long as he possibly could walking back to the small office he had claimed as his, going so far as to take a detour to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee and a few chocolate biscuits, before finally ending up in front of the bank of monitors where he could watch everything that happened in the world if he wanted to.

He wasted a bit more time going over the security arrangements for Arthur’s meetings for the rest of the week and checking the properties’ perimeter cameras before he realised he couldn’t put it off any longer.

Time to face the music.

Very reluctantly, he tapped his glasses so the message he sent out would be heard by all the agents.

“Attention, agents. As of ten minutes ago, Agents Lancelot and Percival have won. You know the drill, all bets to be paid by midnight tonight and no IOU’s. And by no IOU’s, I mean you Kay.”

He almost had to mute his sound at the resulting burst of noise.

“Of course Percival and Lancelot won. Why did we even bother to bet against them?”

“You’re not serious, Merlin. The _boy_ made the move? I’m bloody disappointed in Arthur.”

“Godammit. They couldn’t wait any longer?”

“Longer? Bedivere, any longer and we’d all have expired from waiting.”

“Thank god. I was about to mash their heads together and demand they kiss.”

“Damn. Off by a fortnight.”

“Took them long enough.”

And Lancelot’s rather smug, “Told you all so. I accept payment in hard cash, gentlemen, and nothing else.”

Percival didn’t need to say anything. Merlin could _feel_ his smugness through the comms.

It was Tristan’s comment that finally made Merlin turn his comms off so as to preserve some sense of dignity as he laughed himself stupid.

“Does this mean we can finally call him Guinevere?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left kudos or comments. I'm extremely happy that so many people like this.


	14. Chapter 14

It was going to be a beautiful Sunday. Eggsy could tell even though he hadn’t managed to leave the comfort of his bed yet. There was just something in the air.

Or, it could be because his sleep had been filled with dreams of Harry.

Harry, who was _his_ _boyfriend_. Eggsy shivered at the thought even as he rather giddily cuddled it close to his heart.

It was still hard for him to believe that he could actually call Harry that. He still had moments where he expected Harry to look at him and tell him that he’d had fun, but it was time to move on now.

Eggsy stretched languidly, feeling the pull in his muscles and relaxed back with a satisfied sigh. He had never been happier. A whole week had passed since he and Harry had got together and Eggsy still felt like he was walking on air and he had to frequently remind himself that he wasn’t dreaming the whole thing.

It was like a fairy tale where the prince finds and falls in love with the commoner and they live happily ever after. But life wasn’t a fairy tale and Eggsy knew things weren’t going to be all roses from here on out. For one thing, his impending departure for his training in Devon hung over them like their own little personal cloud of doom, but Harry hadn’t brought it up and Eggsy didn’t know how to.

He had tried once, hinting that he’d have to start packing soon in preparation. Harry had got this look on his face that Eggsy couldn’t decipher before he’d changed the subject. Eggsy hadn’t brought it up again.

Eggsy wished he could ask his mum what to do, but she still didn’t know. Merlin had made it clear their relationship was to remain a secret for now. His reasons had made sense. Privacy and security being the main two, and Eggsy agreed, but it made it hard for him to face his mum and not be able to tell her why he was so happy.

And he was. The need for secrecy and his upcoming marine training notwithstanding, Eggsy had never been happier.

He’d always liked spending time with Harry and now he got to spend time with Harry with the added bonus of being able to kiss and touch him.

Much to Eggsy’s dismay however, they still hadn’t got further than some seriously heavy making out because apparently Merlin was not only Harry’s Head of Security but also appeared to work part-time as Royal cockblocker. Eggsy had lost count of the number of times he and Harry would be going at it hot and heavy only to have Merlin interrupt them by banging on the door of whichever room they were in demanding that they not desecrate a public area.

Even Harry’s private rooms weren’t safe from his intrusions. It was like the man had some sort of preternatural sense that let him know the absolute worst time to interrupt with a reminder that Harry was late for this or that meeting or that he had a call he had to take. All legitimate reasons which just made it worse. Eggsy was seriously considering kidnapping Harry just so they could get some uninterrupted time together.

Memories of the last time they’d managed some time together came to mind and Eggsy shifted restlessly, the soft cotton of his sheets providing a wonderful friction on his suddenly sensitive skin.  He reached under his sleep shirt and pressed his fingers into the perfect set of teeth marks just under his left nipple and shivered at the remembered feel of Harry’s hot, wet mouth pressing against his skin before he’d bitten down. Who knew the Crown Prince had a biting kink.

The flicker of desire that was always present when he thought of Harry flared to life. Harry might have been in his early fifties but fuck was he fit. There were hard planes of muscle hidden under all those perfectly tailored suits and the solid feel of Harry’s thighs whenever Eggsy dropped into his lap were enough to fuel his dreams for months.

There was no hint of sound from the rest of the flat to indicate that his mum and Daisy were awake yet, but for extra security Eggsy darted out of bed and locked his bedroom door. His mum had been known to just walk right in his room before leading to all sorts of embarrassing situations and he really didn’t want that to happen that morning.

A second of thought and he also turned his radio on low enough not to disturb anyone, but loud enough to cover any sounds he might inadvertently make. With his privacy now ensured, Eggsy stripped off his shirt and shorts, grabbed the bottle of lube hidden in his bedside drawer, and climbed back into bed. He slid his hand under the covers, fingers trailing teasingly over his skin and imagined it was Harry who was touching him.

\---

It was late morning by the time he finally rolled out of bed, cleaned himself up and wandered out of his room. He stretched, enjoying the slight burn he could feel in certain parts and then flushed a little remembering the fantasies he’d come up with. Not that he felt too much guilt. He was a young man with a sex drive to match and thanks to a certain fucking annoying Scotsman, he’d been developing a very bad case of blue balls. This was his way of managing it.

He followed the familiar sounds of his mum and sister to the kitchen and found his mum in the middle of making breakfast with his sister keeping her company in her highchair. It didn’t look like either of them had been up for long either. His mum was still in her pyjamas and Daisy was still in her favourite Peppa Pig nightie.

As soon as she saw him Daisy was bouncing in her seat and reaching out with pudgy fingers for him. “Ggy? Ggy!” She burbled at him and squealed when Eggsy swooped down and buzzed a big wet kiss on her cheek. Eggsy was still proud as punch each time he heard her say his name, mangled as it was. For a little girl who’d barely spoken when under Dean’s thumb, she’d become a right chatterbox once the man had been removed from her life.

He dropped another kiss on her curls and smiled when he caught his mum’s eye. “Morning, mum” he greeted.

“Morning, love,” his mum replied with a smile. “Pancakes?” She asked, waving a spatula at him.

“Cae!” Daisy warbled in agreement, waving her fingers in excitement and nearly poking Eggsy in the eye.

“Sounds like _someone_ thinks it’s a great idea.” Eggsy said as he pretended to chomp Daisy’s fingers when they wandered precariously close to his mouth. “Need help?” He asked his mum and laughed when Daisy snapped her own tiny teeth at him.

“Nah. You sit. Amuse your sister.”

Eggsy started playing peekaboo with Daisy, listening to his mum telling him about her week as she pottered around the kitchen. The scene was so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time that Eggsy had to blink away tears. He remembered morning’s like this from when his Dad had been alive. Sunday mornings would see his mum making them a late breakfast whilst he got in the way trying to ‘help’ and then his Dad would walk in and swoop his mum off her feet and dance her around the room. He’d been too young to remember things very clearly but he did remember how it had seemed to him that his mum had seemed to glow during those times and how those mornings had always seemed filled with laughter. Eggsy couldn’t remember a single time they’d shared a breakfast together when Dean had been around.

Somehow understanding that his attention had wandered away from her, Daisy patted him on the face. “Ggy? Ggy sad?” She had a concerned look on her face and Eggsy’s heart melted with love.

“’M not sad, my Dais. How could I be with you here?” He grinned at her and happily endured the prodding fingers. He hated everything that had happened since his mum met Dean but he didn’t hate Daisy. How could he. She was his little ray of sunshine and it was mainly because of her that he’d found the incentive to get them away from his step-father. His only regret was that it had taken him so long.

But it was a beautiful day and he didn’t want to dwell on things that couldn’t be changed.

Instead he thought about Harry and wondered what he had planned for their date later. He held out a small hope that they’d be doing something normal like going to a movie but he doubted it. Harry being who he was meant they couldn’t do a lot of normal things without a hell of a lot of planning beforehand. Not that he minded. It meant that when they did manage to go anywhere, it felt more special. That one visit to Harry’s favourite restaurant had about killed Eggsy with how much he’d looked forward to it. It had been so worth the wait. Seeing Harry’s reaction to him in a suit. And then dancing with him. It had been everything Eggsy had imagined it would be.

“What's got you so happy then, babe? You’re smiling fit to split your face,” his mum interrupted his reminiscing. She was over by the stove waiting for the last of the pancakes to cook and watching him playing with his sister.

“It’s a good day, init. You and me here together, not to forget our giggly little Miss Daisy.” Eggsy replied. He plucked his sister out from her highchair and peppered kisses all over her chubby face delighting in her squeals and laughter and then proceeded to dance her around the kitchen.

“Careful, Eggsy,” his mum cautioned when he performed a complicated twirl that had Daisy shrieking with excitement.

They danced around until Daisy started squirming in Eggsy’s arms and he had to place her back in her highchair. She was red in the face and looked so happy Eggsy felt his heart double in size with love. He kissed her forehead and nuzzled his nose into her curls, breathing in her familiar smell. “Oh, my Dais,” he murmured, “I do love you.”

“Lub, Ggy,” Daisy agreed and smacked a rather wet kiss on his cheek.

A hand dropped on his shoulder and he looked up to see his mum smiling down at him. “Set the table, luv.”

It only took a few minutes before they were sitting at the table, a plate of pancakes each for him and his mum and a smaller bowl with a tiny Daisy sized pancake in front of his sister. Silence fell broken only by the chink of cutlery on plates and Daisy’s happy blubbering. Then to Eggsy’s exasperation, his mum picked up their earlier conversation again.

“You sure that’s the reason? Cause you’re my boy and I know what you look like when you’re smiling cause you’re happy to see us and then there’s you smiling cause you met a pretty girl. That’s an ‘I met a pretty girl’ smile.”

Eggsy had a mouthful of pancakes and could only and roll his eyes and pull a face at his mum.

He swallowed before replying, “No pretty girls, mum.”

“You sure? What about that blonde girl I seen you with a few times? She’s gorgeous.”

“Who? Roxy?” Eggsy laughed. “No way, mum. Roxy’s a stunner, but she’s a mate. It’ll be like me dating Jamal.” He pulled another face when he said that and Daisy copied him, making Eggsy and his mum laugh at her.

With his mum distracted with feeding Daisy, Eggsy was able to sink back into his thoughts. Not being able to tell his mum about Harry was going to be hard. He already felt bad about all the times he’d had to fob her off when Harry was just a friend, but now it was going to be even harder when Harry was his boyfriend.

It wasn’t just his news to tell though so he’d kept his mouth shut no matter how much it pained him to not tell her the truth. Anyway, he was pretty sure that if he ever did let it slip, she’d just laugh and not believe him. Fucking hell, _he_ almost couldn’t believe it himself and he was actually with Harry. He grinned rather stupidly to himself. _He was with Harry._ That thought would never get old.

“And there’s that smile again.”

When he looked up his mum was looking at him with a much too knowing stare. He looked back down at his plate and shoved a forkful of pancakes in his mouth so he wouldn’t have to say anything. It didn’t help.

“If it ain’t a pretty girl, maybe it’s a pretty _boy_?” She continued with an arch smile and Eggsy nearly choked on his mouthful.

“ _Wha-_?” He spluttered, bits of pancake flying out of his mouth.

“Eggsy! Don’t talk with your mouth full,” his mum chided him as she mopped up some of the mess with a tea towel. He just stared at her, furiously trying to come up with something to say when she burst into laughter at the look on his face.

“The look on your face!” She flapped the tea towel excitedly and easily ignored that she was making a bigger mess than him. “I’m right, aren’t I? It _is_ a boy! Who is it? Do I know him? What’s he like? How did you meet? When can I meet him” Her questions fired out one after the other.

“Woah, woah, mum! Mum!” Eggsy half shouted at her to get her attention. “Ok, number one, I ain’t talking about this with you. And number two, I still ain’t talking about this with you. Ever.”

“Why not, Eggsy? Go on then, tell your old mum all the juicy gossip about your new boyfriend.” And she honest to god pouted when Eggsy shook his head again and refused to look at her.

Stymied in her attempt to get more information, she turned her attention to Daisy. “Hear that, Daisy girl? Your big bruv has a boyfriend,” she cooed at her daughter whose head was swivelling between her brother and her mum as if she was hanging onto every word they were saying. “Repeat after me, Eggsy has a boyfriend,” she half sang and Daisy clapped her hands and tried to join in.

“Ggy, haf boy,” she chimed in much to the amusement of his mum and to Eggsy’s mortification.

“Noooo, mum. Stop,” Eggsy moaned, hiding his face behind his hands.

“Now, we’ve had this talk before, Eggsy. There’s nothing wrong with having a boyfriend, luv. You know I ain’t gonna look at you funny cause you like boys.”

“It’s not that, mum. Just, it’s not up for discussion, alright? Please?” Eggsy was not above begging to get her to stop. He would never break his promise to not tell anyone about Harry but he was worried that if his mum kept talking about it, he might slip. Which would be a disaster.

His mum expertly fed a still clapping Daisy another piece and then held her hands up in the universal ‘I give up I'm harmless’ gesture. “Alright. If it’s that important to you, I’ll let it go.” She wiped Daisy’s face and much to Eggsy’s relief started telling him about some of the antics of her co-workers.

\---

Not long after he’d met her, Eggsy had learnt that discouraging Roxy when she’d already made up her mind about something was nearly impossible, but it didn’t stop him from trying anyway.

He was slouched down on the sofa, half his attention on the barrage of texts from Roxy and the other keeping an eagle eye on Daisy as she slept in her cot. Roxy was insisting that she pick him up to drive him to Harry’s place later and Eggsy was trying to say no, but it was a losing battle.

His phone had just dinged with another text when his mum walked in.

“Mum?” Eggsy dragged his attention away from his phone when she sat down next to him.

“Eggsy, luv,” his mum started and the serious tone of her voice and the gentle hand on his arm caught his attention immediately. “Put the phone away for a bit, yeah?”

Eggsy obediently put his phone on silent and slid it into his pocket. “What’s wrong?” He asked, turning his full attention to her.

She gave a soft laugh. “Nothing’s wrong, babe. I just need to talk to you for a bit without any distractions.”

“Ok?” His agreement came out more like a question as he watched her expectantly.

She smiled at him and stroked his cheek gently. “Oh, my Eggsy. Look at you, all grown up.”

“Mum?” Eggsy was even more worried now.

“Eggsy, I know you’re an adult now, and you can look after yourself, but you’re still my boy and I know that I wasn’t able to protect you before-“

“Mum, no.” Eggsy cut in firmly. “Dean weren’t your fault. He was a bastard that took advantage of you when you was vulnerable.”

“No, babe. Dean _was_ my fault. I lost your dad and it left me a little lost and I was lonely, but I shouldn’t have stayed with Dean. Not after he hit you, Eggsy. I’m your mum. I’m supposed to protect you.”

“Oh, mum.” Eggsy leaned forward and wrapped his mum in a tight hug. “And how many times did you distract him so he’d hit you instead of me? But we got rid of him, yeah? Dean ain’t gonna bother us no more,” he whispered reassuringly into her ear.

She dropped a kiss on his cheek and pushed him away but still kept her hands on his arms. “Dean’s gone because of you. You’re my hero, Luv. Mine and Daisy’s.” Eggsy blushed at the amount of pride in her voice. “You protected us, and it’s my turn now.”

Eggsy shook his head in confusion. “Your turn for what, mum?”

“My turn to protect you. This boy that you may or may not be seeing…” she trailed off, obviously searching for the words she wanted to use.

“Muuuum,” Eggsy whined as quietly as he could, mindful that his sleeping sister was just across the room.

“Hush, Eggsy. Let me ask this. He’s not making you do anything is he?” At the look of confusion on his face she clarified, “Is he forcing you to do things you don’t want to do? Illegal things maybe?”

Eggsy shook his head furiously. “What? No, mum! He’s not forcing me to do anything!” He didn’t know whether to be horrified or amused at the idea of Harry, _Harry_ who tutted disapprovingly whenever Eggsy and Merlin discussed different ways to maybe illegally download movies online. “If anything, it’d be me making him do stupid shit.”

“Are you sure, babe? ‘Cause we’re not desperate no more. I got a job, and enough saved that we don’t hafta depend on no one. You have some money from the Games and soon you’ll be out of here to train to be a marine...”

“Mum,” Eggsy said as he gently grabbed a hold of her hands. “Mum, trust me. This bloke I may or may not be seeing would never try and force me to do anything.”

She didn’t look convinced. “You’re not lying to make me feel better?”

“No, mum, swear down. He’s on the up and up,” he said and had to bite his tongue not to just break and tell her everything about Harry. He hated seeing her worry but he knew he couldn’t. 

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, mum.” He put all his conviction in his voice and hoped she believed him.

“Alright. That’s alright then.” She nodded but she still had a worried furrow in her brow.

“Mum, I promise, if anything goes wrong, I will tell you, alright? Just, trust me. Please,” he half begged, willing her to believe him.

They lapsed into silence after that and Eggsy got up to check on Daisy and to give his mum some space to process everything he’d said. He was trying to decide if he should tell Harry that his mum thought he might be a bad influence and that led to imagining Harry’s reaction when his mum spoke again.

“This bloke you may or may not be seeing, just remember to wrap up, yeah? You can’t get each other pregnant but STDs don’t care if you’re a boy or girl. Safe sex or no sex at all.”

“Oh my God, mum, please.” Eggsy could feel the heat rising on his face and knew he was turning bright red. He waved a hand at an innocently sleeping Daisy and hissed at his mother. “I am not talking about S-E-X with you. _Ever_. And especially not in front of Daisy.”

His mum just snickered quietly to herself and even though he was embarrassed as hell, Eggsy relaxed. He could handle jokes at his expense as long as she stopped asking questions about Harry.

He had to repeat that to himself later that night when he was cuddled up to Harry in the private cinema Harry had hired out for them and found a brand new box of ribbed condoms in his jacket pocket.

There was a note stuck on them in his mum’s neat handwriting; ‘Remember to wrap up! :)’.


	15. Chapter 15

“How long you gonna be gone again?”

“Two weeks, Eggsy,” Harry answered patiently from where he was poking around in his wardrobe looking for his favourite tie.

Eggsy didn’t respond to his answer and when Harry took a quick look at him, he was pouting, lower lip sticking out ridiculously. Harry shook his head at the sight. Why Eggsy thought the answer would be any different from the last half a dozen times he’d asked, Harry didn’t know.

He ducked into the bathroom to check that the tie wasn’t there and also to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything and raised his voice loud enough for Eggsy to hear.

“I’m sorry, Eggsy. I know you wanted us to spend more time together and I would like nothing more than to stay and be with you but I can’t disregard my obligations.”

“I know. But ‘s only been a week since we, you know, and now you gotta leave. ‘S disappointing is all.”

“I know, darling.” Harry gave up looking for his tie and returned to the bedroom. He smiled fondly at Eggsy. “I’m disappointed as well. But two weeks isn’t all that long. Between the time you’ll be spending with your family and all your friends wanting to see you, it’ll pass so fast that before you know it, I’ll be home again.”

Eggsy’s pout didn’t go away, if anything it got bigger. He looked adorable and Harry willingly gave up trying to finish his packing in favour of cajoling a smile on Eggsy’s face. He dropped the spare socks he’d been holding and walked over to where Eggsy was lounging on his bed.

It amazed him anew that he was allowed to do this, that Eggsy wanted him, and he allowed himself a few minutes to gaze down at his… and here his mind stuttered to a halt **.** He wasn’t sure what to call Eggsy.

Eggsy had called them boyfriends, but Harry was pretty sure he’d not been eligible to be called a boy long ago. Lover was still technically incorrect and had the suggestion of impermanence that Harry disliked and partner was much too staid.

Then Eggsy looked up at him and smiled and Harry knew what he wanted to call this beautiful young man.

“Dearest,” he whispered and watched the blush that rose over Eggsy’s cheeks in delight. The rosy tint made him that much more appealing and Harry wasted a few more precious moments admiring the picture Eggsy made. He was fully dressed but that made no difference to Harry’s suddenly ignited libido. For someone who had always prided himself on his control over his body, the mere sight of this young man lying on his bed like he belonged there made his blood burn. Harry still could not quite wrap his head around the fact that Eggsy wanted him. _Him._ A middle aged man with greying hair when he could have his pick of all the beautiful _young_ people out there. It was mind boggling.

Eggsy made Harry feel young. He made him feel Eggsy made him feel like a randy young man. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d spent so much time being turned on and he’d not masturbated this much since he’d been a teenager. It was bordering on the embarrassing.

Merlin had jokingly called it a midlife crises, but Harry didn’t find it funny.

Harry sat down, Eggsy’s thigh warm against his hip and reached out to turn Eggsy’s face towards him.

Eggsy looked at him from beneath his lashes, blush still high on his cheeks and Harry was once again swept away by how beautiful this boy was. He smiled and gently touched the protruding lower lip with his thumb and when Eggsy didn’t shake him off, bent closer and brushed their lips together in the barest of touches. When he made to pull away, Eggsy made a discontent sound and reached up, threading his fingers through Harry’s hair to pull him back in for another, more thorough kiss.

Harry let gravity take over and tipped forward, only the careful placement of one arm beside Eggsy’s head stopping him from squashing the boy.

When Eggsy parted his lips in invitation, Harry willingly accepted and swept his tongue across that lush lower lip before dipping further into Eggsy’s mouth. Eggsy was as intoxicating as Harry remembered and he quickly deepened the kiss, wanting more of Eggsy’s unique taste.

Their tongues tangled and Eggsy moaned when Harry brought his hands up to cradle that beloved face in his hands. The wet hot heat of Eggsy’s mouth was making Harry’s head whirl and it definitely didn’t help him think any clearer when Eggsy wrapped one of his legs around Harry’s, bringing their bodies closer together. Harry shuddered at the feel of the hard line of Eggsy’s cock pressing insistently against his thigh.

He resisted the urge to rock his leg into that tantalising hardness and instead took advantage of his position to turn them until Eggsy was flat on his back and he was slotted perfectly between Egssy’s thighs. Without prompting, Eggsy brought his other leg up and even through two layers of clothing, the press of Eggsy’s hardness against his own was enough to make Harry let out an honest to god whimper.

“Fuck, Harry,” Eggsy buried his face in Harry’s neck and whined as his hands tightened in Harry’s hair.

“You drive me crazy,” he mumbled and Harry laughed quietly even as shivered at the feel of Eggsy’s warm breath on the sensitive skin of his neck.

That he would need to redo his hair was only a momentary thought before Harry was distracted when Eggsy rocked against him. The groan that escaped him then was entirely involuntary as was the way his grip tightened on Eggsy’s body.

Having Eggsy beneath him, so responsive and eager was a heady feeling and Harry wasn’t thinking clearly anymore. If he had been, he would have realised that the situation was completely out of control now and that as much as he was enjoying himself, he would regret it later. As it was, he had blindly reached down to pull Eggsy’s shirt up when there was a loud banging on the door and Merlin’s not so dulcet tones broke through the haze of lust.

“I’m going to count to five and come in and the two of you have better be dressed and decent by then or so help me god!”

Hands still halfway up Eggsy’s shirt, Harry dropped his head to rest in the crook of Eggsy’s neck and huffed in dismay.

“Remind me again why I keep him with me?” He mumbled against Eggsy’s skin and smiled at the shiver and snort of laughter that got.

“Because to hear him tell it, he’s the best at what he does.” Eggsy replied and dropped his legs back to the bed with a disgruntled look on his face. “And he might be, but honestly, guv, he’s got the worst fucking timing. I’ve lost count of how many times he’s cock blocked us now. ‘M getting blue balls, Harry.”

Harry let out a very undignified snort and rewarded Eggsy with a kiss which quickly threatened to get out of control. It took Merlin pounding on the door again and threatening them both very loudly that they reluctantly separated.

“We’re coming!” Harry shouted back and then laughed aloud when he heard Eggsy’s muttered “and not in a good way neither”.

By the time Merlin poked his head in the room, they were a respectable distance apart, even if it was fairly obvious from their rumpled clothing what they’d been doing.

Merlin took one look at them, taking in their clothes, reddened lips and the mess that was Harry’s hair and tutted his disapproval.

“The plane is due to leave in an hour, Your Highness, and they’re waiting for the rest of your baggage,” he said with a pointed look at the still open suitcase.

“An hour is still plenty of time, Merlin,” Harry replied, rolling his eyes at his old friend.

Merlin gave him dirty look and then advanced on Harry with the obvious intent of neatening him up but was warned away with a warning glare and a raised finger.

“You are not my valet, Merlin. Touch my clothing and I will break your hand,” Harry said as he wandered into the bathroom to try and tame his hair. “Do stop hovering, old man,” he said as he stuck his head back into the bedroom. “you’ll give yourself wrinkles.”

Eggsy laughed at Merlin’s outraged huff from where he was still reclining on the bed and just gave the man a cheeky grin when he turned his formidable glare on him.

“You know,” he said to Merlin. “Just cause you ain’t getting any, don’t mean you have to cock block everyone else.”

Merlin ignored him, directing his attention to his ever present clipboard.

“Bors and Percival will be with you on the plane and Bedivere and Gawain will take over on your arrival, Arthur. After that will be Tristan, Kay and Lamorak. The others, barring Lancelot, will be on call in case they’re needed,” Merlin reported to Harry.

“Why’s Roxy left out?” Eggsy asked.

Harry was out of the bathroom by then, looking his usual immaculate self, and he exchanged a speaking glance with Merlin before turning his attention to Eggsy. He sat down next to Eggsy, ignoring the now suspicious look directed at him, and picked up his hand, cradling it in his own.

“Lancelot has been assigned to you for the near future, Eggsy,” he said carefully. He was well aware that this could go wrong in a lot of ways. He’d already had a number of arguments with Merlin about how to go about it. Merlin had wanted to just have Lancelot watch Eggsy without telling him, but Harry had known that would have been a disaster. He just had to get Eggsy to see reason.

Eggsy’s brow furrowed. “Me?” He asked pointing to himself. “What’s she gonna do with me?”

“Guarding you of course,” Merlin chimed in then and Harry shot him a glare. They’d agreed that Harry would do the talking since Merlin had all the delicacy of a bull in a china shop sometimes.

Eggsy looked between the two of them and shook his head. “I don’t need no bodyguard.”

Harry could see how tense Eggsy was and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, wanting to provide some comfort. He was pleased when some of the stiffness left Eggsy and he leaned into Harry’s side.

“I know that nothing is likely to happen,” Harry said. “Merlin’s been keeping an eye on things and whilst no one has made a connection between the two of us, it could happen. And if it does, we want to be prepared. As it is, this is just a precautionary measure. You know and like Lancelot, it shouldn’t be all that much of a hardship to have her with you.”

“She’s discreet. You won’t even notice she’s there,” Merlin added in.

Eggsy was still shaking his head, so Harry decided he’d have to play a bit dirty.

“Darling, please, for my peace of mind?” Harry pleaded quietly and tightened his arm around Eggsy. “It would ease my worries terribly if I knew you had someone with you.”

Eggsy still looked put out, but he nodded reluctantly. “Only because you asked so nicely, Harry.”

Harry smiled and dropped a kiss on Eggsy’s forehead before enveloping the younger man in a hug. “Thank you, my dear.”

Merlin cleared his throat pointedly and without a trace of regret at interrupting their moment said, “Now that’s been cleared up, we really need to be going, Arthur.”

With Merlin as their hawk-eyed chaperone, the next few moments were a scramble of straightening himself out again and getting the last of his things packed into his bag.

With Bors and Percival conferring with Merlin before they escorted him out to the waiting car, Harry took advantage of their relative privacy to tug Eggsy an unresisting Eggsy closer and kissed him, trying to convey his reluctance at having to leave with his lips. They only separated at Merlin’s loud cough and with one last peck, Harry turned to follow Merlin out.

He took two steps before he stopped and turned back, easily ignoring Merlin’s squawk of protest and reeled Eggsy back into his arms and brought their lips together.

This was not a polite goodbye kiss. This was Harry coaxing Eggsy’s mouth open and relearning the contours of his mouth. Harry wanted to make sure that Eggsy would have something to remember him by whilst they were apart. They kissed until Eggsy made that little whining sound that Harry loved and he was clinging to Harry like he was the only thing keeping him standing, his fingers tangled tightly in Harry’s suit, no doubt leaving dreadful wrinkles behind. Only then did Harry release him and allowed a very irate Merlin usher him out.

He looked back when he was finally situated in the car and smiled when he saw Eggsy, touching his lips with a rather foolish grin on his face, framed in the doorway of the house. Merlin was standing behind him like a very grumpy sentinel. Harry watched them until the car turned the corner and he lost sight of them.

\---

Merlin looked over when another sigh interrupted his concentration. Eggsy was slouched on the small sofa in his office and staring moodily out of the window. As Merlin watched, he dropped his chin into his hand and let out another heartfelt sigh and Merlin rolled his eyes to the ceiling in despair. The lad had been like that since Harry had left, not even an hour ago.

When another sigh reached his ears, he had had enough. A few more minutes in front of his computer and he was ready.

“Right,” he said and snatched up his tablet. He waited for it to sync before he strode over to Eggsy.  “Here, lad,” Merlin stuck the tablet in front of Eggsy’s face. He took perverse pleasure when Eggsy yelped and nearly fell off the sofa at his sudden appearance.

“Wha?”

“Spread out your right hand and place it on the screen.” Merlin instructed.

Eggsy stared uncomprehendingly at the tablet and then at Merlin. “What?” He repeated.

Merlin sighed, a frighteningly regular occurrence in his dealing with Eggsy. “Handprint.” Merlin waggled the tablet again. “Come along, Eggsy. Stop wasting my time.”

“You want my handprint? What for? I ain’t done nothing wrong!”

Merlin sighed again. He wasn’t paid enough for this.

“I didn’t say you had done anything wrong,” he said as calmly as he could. “Eggsy, do you honestly think I have the time to keep getting up to answer the door every time you come around? I do have an actual job to do,” he said before he tapped the tablet again. “The handprint will allow you access to the front door.”

Merlin almost cheered when the light of comprehension appeared in Eggsy’s eyes.

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh. Now, handprint, please.”

Eggsy’s brow furrowed. “You sure ‘bout this?”

“Yes, Eggsy. And before you ask, Harry is well aware of this. He’s the one who suggested it.”

Eggsy stared at him mutely, surprise and what looked like awe in his eyes. It made Merlin distinctly uncomfortable and he cleared his throat to break the moment.

“Hand please.”

Silently, Eggsy placed his hand on the screen and they both waited in silence until there was a beep to signify the process was completed. A few more taps and Merlin was satisfied.

“And done,” he said. “The next time you’re here, just hold the front door knob as you usually would. The door will unlock when the system clears you. Understood?”

Eggsy nodded and Merlin was about to turn and return to his chair when Eggsy spoke.

“Harry really asked you to put me on the security list for the house?” He sounded so very young and unsure that Merlin couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for the boy.

Merlin reached over and squeezed the boy’s shoulder once. “He did, lad.”

They sat in silence for the rest of the afternoon. Merlin steadily going through the rest of his work and Eggsy still sitting on the sofa, this time in quiet contemplation.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay. I actually had most of this written out, but then I read a comment about this needing more plot and length and tore what I'd already written apart and then couldn't bear to look at it again. I've managed to wrestle the story back into something I'm hoping is respectable and not too different from my original plan.
> 
> Anyway, here's the next chapter. Nothing too explicit, sorry!

Harry felt like he was jittering out of his skin as the car reached ever closer to home. He was supposed to be using this time to read a proposal Merlin had sent him about some new security measures, but there was no way he would be able to pay attention to anything at the moment.

He knew Eggsy was waiting for him. Merlin had confirmed it just moments before and that knowledge was buzzing through Harry.

He waited impatiently as Tristan and Bedivere checked the area and nearly vaulted out of the car when they gave him the all clear. He barely remembered the front door opening before he was inside and then he just stopped.

Eggsy was standing near the staircase and he looked wonderful.

Harry’s memories hadn’t done him justice. He was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a green polo that made his eyes look luminous. His hair was sticking up all over the place, like he’d been running his hands through it and he was wearing those ridiculous winged shoes that Harry loved to hate. He had a smile on his face that was growing with every passing minute and he was the absolute best thing Harry had seen in a fortnight.

Their eyes caught and Harry couldn’t look away.

He could hear Merlin droning on in the background, but couldn’t for the life of him understand a word he was saying. All he could see was Eggsy in front of him, smiling so brightly it felt like the sun was finally shining on him after a fortnight of cloudy days.

Harry continued nodding to whatever it was Merlin was saying, not paying him a whit of attention, all his focus on Eggsy; who was looking at him like he wanted to devour him whole.

Harry swallowed at the undisguised desire on Eggsy’s face.

It was an oft-used cliché, but Harry could feel his pulse increase as he slowly took a step closer and watched as Eggsy licked his lips, the shine left behind enticing him to take another step and then another and before he was knew it, he was standing in front of Eggsy, close enough he could feel the warmth of him through his clothes.

There was a beat of stillness as they stood there, cataloguing whatever minute changes had happened in two weeks before Harry reached a hand out to cup Eggsy’s face. His heart swelled with emotion when Eggsy’s eyes fluttered closed and pressed his cheek into his palm, a look of bliss on his face.

“Hello, darling,” Harry murmured, eyes drinking in every feature of Eggsy’s face. It was ridiculous and he knew he would be the subject of Merlin’s teasing if he ever found out, but being this close to Eggsy; Harry felt like a man finally finding water after having been lost in a desert.

Eggsy opened his eyes and Harry wanted to drown in the emotion he could see in them.

“Hi, Harry,” Eggsy said almost bashfully, a slight pink tinge riding high on his cheekbones. He rested a hand lightly against Harry’s chest and Harry was positive that Eggsy would be able to feel the way his heart was racing.

“I missed you,” Harry breathed, his entire body unconsciously swaying forward. He felt almost dizzy at how close they were after having been apart for so long.

Eggsy smiled, his eyes constantly dropping down to Harry’s lips before darting back up and Harry watched in fascination as the blush reached the tips of his ears. “I missed you too.”

Harry was positive he had an exceedingly stupid smile on his face but he couldn’t help himself. He was just so happy.

“Oh, for fucks sake,” Merlin exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and just barely missed hitting Harry in the head with his clipboard. “I missed you, I missed you too?” He mimicked them in a high pitched voice. “I swear the two of you are worse than a pair of teenagers.” He pointed a finger at Harry. “Just kiss the boy already, Harry!” He ordered before he stomped off.

Eggsy and Harry looked at each other wild-eyed. They listened as Merlin made his noisy way to his office, grumbling the entire way until the slam of his door cut him off.

Eggsy didn’t last another second before he burst into uncontrollable giggles and Harry happily joined in even as he drank in the sight of Eggsy looking so happy.

“I did miss you terribly though, my dear,” Harry said once they’d stop laughing.

“So did I.” Eggsy smiled up at him. He leaned in and Harry automatically wrapped his arms around Eggsy’s waist, bringing him closer until they were pressed together. He smelt like Harry remembered, a unique and strangely appealing mixture of his usual cologne and baby powder. He must have come straight from spending time with his sister.

“I think this is one time we should actually listen to Merlin though,” Eggsy continued as he reached up and grasped the lapels of Harry’s suit.

“Oh?” Harry murmured, distracted by the way Eggsy’s face was tilted up to his and the pinkness of his lips.

He watched as those same lips formed the words, “Kiss me, Harry.”

The idea of disobeying never even crossed Harry’s mind.

Harry tried to be gentle, but Eggsy was having none of it. He pressed their mouths together fiercely, looping his arms around Harry’s neck to pull him closer and Harry obliged, bending down and tilting his head so their mouths slid together perfectly.

Kissing Eggsy was everything Harry remembered it to be.

“Harry,” Eggsy gasped, voice already hoarse and sounding utterly destroyed.

Harry didn’t bother with a response, just slotted their mouths together again and tried to relearn the inside of Eggsy’s mouth as thoroughly as he could even as he pushed one of his legs between Eggsy’s, wanting to get as close as he could. Harry had never felt more hatred for his suits then he did then as he yearned for the feel of Eggsy’s bare flesh on his.

The feel of Eggsy’s cock, hot and hard even through two layers of clothing was intoxicating. Harry was hard too, his cock pressing uncomfortably against his briefs and when Eggsy started rolling his hips, effectively riding his leg, Harry grabbed those beautifully enticing buttocks and dug his fingers in, pulling Eggsy even closer.

It was with immense effort that Harry was able to tear himself away from the temptation of Eggsy’s mouth to press a string of kisses across his jaw. When he reached the spot just behind Eggsy’s ear that he knew was an especially sensitive spot, Harry stopped and nibbled, delighting in the shiver that went through Eggsy, before he sucked hard enough to leave a mark. Eggsy’s moan was so loud it echoed through the hallway.

“Harry, please,” he begged and Harry was helpless against it. They kissed again, sloppy and frantic, pulling at each other trying to get closer.

Harry ran his hands greedily across Eggsy’s back, feeling the muscles bunching under his thin shirt, up to his hair and then back down to the gentle swell of his buttocks. Eggsy’s hands were just as busy. In a matter of minutes, he’d managed to unbutton Harry’s waistcoat and pulled the tails of his shirt out of his trousers to slide his hands under.

The first touch of skin on skin was electric and they both gasped, breaking the kiss only to return to it in the next breath. Both hungry for so much more.

It was hot and desperate and absolutely perfect.

Harry didn’t know how much time had passed before they finally, reluctantly parted. Both of them were panting and Harry’s heart was hammering in his chest. He could see Eggsy’s pulse fluttering crazily under the sensitive skin of his throat as he rested their foreheads together, noses just brushing against each other.

Harry was still trying to catch his breath and calm himself down a bit when Eggsy pulled away slightly.

All the warning he got next was a whispered “catch me” and the feel of Eggsy’s muscles bunching under his hands and then Eggsy was jumping up and Harry hurriedly slid his hands under Eggsy’s thighs and gripped hard. He would have staggered if not for that brief warning, as it were, it took a few minutes before he could trust himself to move.

“Darling?”

Eggsy looked at him, mouth red and swollen and hair an utter mess, the front of his jeans visibly straining. Harry could feel the heat of him and the racing of his heart. Harry stared at this feast in his arms and felt his mouth water. He wanted to carry this boy upstairs, spread him out on his bed and worship him. He wanted to take his time and learn every single part of him and then take him apart until he could do nothing but beg for Harry to fuck him senseless.

It was only the not so dulcet tones of Merlin shouting at them that shook Harry out of his daydream.

“You better be taking your boy to your room, Harry. If you desecrate the staircase or the hallway or any of the public areas of this house, royal prince or not, I will make sure the both of you live to regret it!” Merlin hollered before he slammed his door shut again.

Eggsy snorted, burying his face in Harry’s neck where he could feel the boy snickering.

Harry shook his head and just thanked everything that was holy that Merlin appeared to have given them his blessing and prayed that this meant he would stop bloody interrupting them.

“Harry?” Eggsy murmured as he started to press kisses under Harry’s jaw. The warm wet press of his lips on sensitive skin made Harry shiver.

“Hmm?” Harry replied, tilting his head to give Eggsy better access.

Eggsy pulled away and looked him straight in the eyes. “Merlin’s full of good ideas today.” At Harry’s inquiring look, Eggsy rolled his eyes. “Take me to your bed, Your Highness.”

Harry sucked in a sharp breath, his hands tightening on Eggsy and bringing him closer. He could barely hear Eggsy above the suddenly deafening sound of blood rushing in his ears.

“Harry?” Eggsy was starting to look concerned and Harry firmly took commanded his senses to behave and bent down to place a gentle kiss on Eggsy’s lips.

“Your wish is my command, dearest heart,” he murmured.


End file.
